One Of A kind
by Agent Five
Summary: AU & after first movie. Someone is trying to create the ultimate killing machine. Jean finds the embryo and cannot destroy it but protecting it might just destroy all that she holds dear. Moderate violence
1. Chapter 1

_**ANNA**_

This has to be the worst feeling in the world. A crushing blend of embarrassment and regret. For a moment, I'm hopeful that the muddled images in my 'morning after' head will be unable to seep through the lingering effects of the tequila. But then I am aware of a tingling soreness between my legs and I can remember exactly what we did. And where.

He's still here. I had hoped that the memory of the mistake would be enough punishment for one day and I lie still in the bed, hoping he'll just go. I can hear him in the bathroom and hold my breath as he wanders back into the bedroom.

I want to cover my face and simply ignore him. Maybe he'll just go. I close my eyes, feeling like a two year old as I hope that if I can't see him then –

The mattress dips beside me and my heart is racing. He's sitting there, waiting. God, he wants to talk. Please, no. Just go.

"You okay?"

What sort of a fucking stupid question is that? "Sure." My voice sounds dry as I try and waive off the sinking feeling in my stomach.

"I guess I'll see you at work, then."

Oh god. Now I can taste the regret on my furred tongue and it's making me nauseous. Can we not just rewind time? Can we go back to a point before the party, before his advances and the margueritas started to cloud my better judgement.

"Anna?"

I finally open my eyes and look up into his smug face. I'm sure he's just trying to make this easier – for both of us – but his warm smile just looks too conceited right now.

"We're not going to have a problem, are we?"

Now he's giving me a 'we're not speaking of this ever again' look and I can feel the fury building inside me. This is my apartment, my bed. I invited him here. So how come he gets to decide the rules? I watch him in stunned, angry silence as he stands and collects his jacket from the chair by the bed. He's cool and calm and showing none of the emotion that is now racing around my aching head.

Without another word, having showered and dressed and brushed all memory of me aside, he leaves. Expertly. Practiced.

Bastard.

It takes me a long time to roll out of the bed and stumble into the shower. My hangover is just beginning to take hold and I'm trembling as I climb into the warm water. The heat is soothing but somehow I know it can't wash away all trace of what I have done.

Fuck. What I've done is slept with the boss.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

I'll have to leave. There's nothing for me here, anyway. It's why I got in this mess. It's because I have nothing but loneliness in this place that I was able to sink so low.

It won't be a surprise when I give him my resignation. He knows I'm not happy. It was the opening line in his move on me last night. He saw how sad I have become and he used that to his advantage.

How I hate him.

Or is he just the focus for everything that I am feeling right now? I don't know. I'm confused and my head hurts. I finish my shower and sit dripping on the edge of the bath.

How did it get to this?

* * *

This is promising. I've been in the city for less than two days and already I've found a job. A good job.

The move from Boston was easy. As expected, my resignation was smooth and unhindered. He tried to sound disappointed but I could see the relief in his eyes when I had told him the news one morning. I was leaving and his marriage was safe.

There was no party. No tearful farewell. Hell, I can't say that I really knew the people in that office. I just packed my things, settled the lease on the apartment and left.

Another bridge goes up in flames.

But this is looking good. I make my way out through the expensively decorated lobby of the tall office building and there's a spring in my step. They really liked me and I start tomorrow. It's almost too good to be true. Of course, my resume is something that I have always been proud of. After 3 years at Harvard, I'm no fool. And my experience in PR is impressive. I can talk anyone into anything.

The sad thing is that I've got no one to celebrate with. I go back to the studio apartment on the Upper East Side and sink into one of the soft leather couches, taking a long gulp of the beer I grabbed from the fridge. The high ceiling and light tones of the lounge brighten my mood further and I'm in a good place right now. A place funded yet again by my inheritance.

It had been strange to be receiving an inheritance at 19. It was something people talked about well after their forties and I was ill prepared. I had known for some time that the day would come when daddy lost his fight against the cancer but it was no less of a shock.

That was six years ago and, despite promising myself that I would save the trust fund for some point in the future, I had dipped into the money each year. The fund had seen me through college and helped me find my feet after graduation. Now it had bought me a luxurious one bedroom in New York and I had never been so grateful.

"Here's to you, daddy." I raised my beer towards the impressive view out over the city and let out a contented sigh. I think things are really looking up.

* * *

I'm sitting in the plainly decorated office in silence, reminding myself to breathe. This isn't happening. The man across the desk from me is repeating the words he spoke a few moments ago. He thinks I didn't hear him. The truth is, I just can't believe him.

I'm the PA for the assistant director of one of the biggest banks in the city. I'm talented, I'm successful. This can't be happening.

But it is happening. If I'm honest with myself, I've known it for a few weeks now. Felt the changes. A woman knows her own body and mine wasn't behaving as it should. I knew deep down what was causing the fatigue, the nausea. I just didn't want to face it. It wasn't real.

Until now.

"Miss Walker?"

I look up from my hands and tears obscure my view of the kind doctor.

"I take it, this wasn't planned."

Despite the heavy feeling in my chest and the bile in my throat, I manage a smile. "No." My voice sounds shaky. Not like me. I'm confident and assured.

"Here."

The doctor has stood and is walking round his desk to offer me a Kleenex. Now I feel vulnerable. Pitied.

"There are options."

My heart begins to race as I wipe at my tears and look up into his still smiling face. He has lines around his eyes from wearing that same professional grin for hours on end but right now it seems genuine. He wants me to think that he cares and at this point it's good to believe.

"Let me give you the number of a friend of mine."

I take the card from him with a trembling hand and nod silently. God, he's using my devastation to tout business. It all seems too bizarre to be real.

* * *

My boss believed my story about a dental appointment and suggested I take the whole day off. He joked about me not being able to take calls with a frozen mouth and patted my shoulder sympathetically. We've become something almost close to friends over the past months and I have his home number on my speed dial. Things have really started to look promising of late.

God, what I'd give to have gone to the dentist's instead. I'd have root fillings and teeth removed. Anything would be better than the way I feel right now.

It would be so easy to cry and pour all of my fear and disappointment into the warm leather of my sofa. But the tears won't come. I feel empty. Ironic that my problem is just the opposite.

I can't do this. I'm too young and too ambitious. I've really begun to feel that I've found my place at the bank. I have a purpose, prospects. I can't have a child now. I don't know if I wanted to ever start a family. It never occurred to me. Not even when I was engaged to Henry at my last year at Harvard did I ever think about a future that involved reproducing. I'm just not like that. It's not me.

I'm a loner. Always have been. Sometimes I feel that perhaps I might be missing out on something but I've never been one for attachment, companionship. I don't like getting close to people. I've been let down too many times to let myself get hurt again.

Even the friends that I did make in college have become numbers in a book that sits at the bottom of a drawer somewhere. It's not that I don't like people. I just trust my own company better.

I have my books and my music. A love of opera that was passed on to me from my dad. Even now I have the powerful melody of an aria playing low on the stereo. The gentle rhythm of the Italian lyrics echoes around the immense lounge/diner and is almost soothing.

Sometimes I play the recordings at full volume and those that did manage to get close to me at college would know not to come knocking. Only Henry was allowed to disturb me when I was in that mood and even he did not appreciate what an honour that was. I think I was more a trophy than a fiancé. His family knew my family. He wanted to impress everyone with his a-grade bride to be. And of course, her trust fund. The only thing that impressed them was how fast he had slept with my roommate. And how long it had taken me to figure it out.

Mom had been good to me back then. My world had tumbled down around me and she had been there. No reproachful remarks, none of her usual sharp criticisms. Just a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on. We had become friends for a time. She had helped me through that summer and I had discovered that my usually disapproving mother was actually a nice person. After dad died, the illusion faded and she became once again the bitter, harsh woman that I remembered from my childhood.

It wasn't her fault. And it was nothing that I had done – as daddy would remind me after one of our weekly screaming rows. Mom had suffered in her lifetime and the only way she coped was by being stern. I think it was after my older brother was killed in a car accident that she simply shut down. There was a lot of pain there and it had scarred her forever. She seemed cold when she was simply surviving; she came over as unemotional when the truth was that she loved too much to allow herself to get close.

I never realised before how alike we are. Suddenly I'm smiling. Despite how much this already hurts and the knowledge that she will be so openly disappointed in me, I find myself reaching for the phone.

The ringing tone seems to be droning on for an age. I begin to wonder where she might be. My mother never goes out – she has no need to. Never one for coffee mornings or girlie lunches, she has the housekeeper to do the shopping and would spend hours in the garden, fussing over her precious roses. Suddenly I'm wondering if something has happened. I waited too long to call and now I'll never speak to her.

"Hello. Morgan Bryce-Walker speaking."

God, she sounded so formal. Even her phone manner was frosty.

"Hey, Mom." I waited for the sigh, the 'what do you need now' groan. But it never came. Instead, I heard something that I never thought I would and now I can feel the tears beginning to fall.

"Annie? My little Annie?"

"Mom." My throat was tight and all I could do was clutch the receiver as I tried not to break down.

"What is it, honey?"

God, she was concerned. I could hear the fear building in her voice and now I feel terrible for not having kept in contact with her.

"Is it your job? Are you not happy in New York?"

"No. Well …" I found my voice but didn't know how to tell her. This wasn't something that you said over the phone. And then it was as though she could read my mind. The woman that I barely understood seemed to know me and it made me feel humble.

"I can be there tonight, Annie." She paused for a moment. "That's if you want me to?"

"Yeah. Please, Mom."

"Okay. I'll call you from the train."

The train? She could have William drive her here. Who was this person that sounded like my mother? And since when did she call me 'Annie'? I ended the call in shock and checked my watch. In just over 5 hours, I'd find out.

XXXXX

What I discovered was that being alone in the immense colonial house had softened my mother. She missed my father terribly and had slowly come to realise how much she was lacking without company in the 6-bedroom monstrosity. She held neighbourhood committee meetings and had joined the local quilting bee. She was busy, involved. And she looked fantastic for it. There was a sparkle in her eye and a brightness in her face that I had never seen before and she looked younger than I remembered her.

"Hey, baby." She had said softly and then stepped in from the hallway to hug me so tightly that for a moment I couldn't breathe.

"Mom!" I managed after a minute and promptly began to sob loudly. Aware of her kicking the door closed as I fell against her and howled.

XXXXX

"Oh. I see."

She is now watching me quietly, nodding her head as she takes in all that I have blurted out to her. I can't interpret the frown that creases her brow but I begin to worry that she is about to launch into a cascade of reprimands.

"What do you want to do?"

"What?" I ask in wonder, surprised at how well she is dealing with this. Better than me, at least.

"Do you want to have this baby?"

I stare at her in confusion. After years of catholic indoctrination and being marched to church every Sunday by her and my father, I can't believe she is even considering this. "I don't know." I answer honestly. "I … it hasn't really sunk in yet, I guess."

"Oh, Annie … I didn't adjust to having you and Bryan until you were at kindergarten!" She smiles.

She said his name. Who are these people that she has been spending time with? What have they done to my mother? I look into her soft face and cannot believe that I honestly don't know who she is any more. She watches me silently and somehow I get the feeling that she's thinking the exact same thing.

"Annie." She takes a deep breath and her slender fingers close tightly around the cup of tea that she has been clutching. It must be cold by now. "Annie, I'm sorry."

My heart is racing as I see the pain that flashes across her face and I think I'm going to start crying again. It must be my hormones.

"I'm sorry that I haven't always been there for you. We've never been close and I have always regretted that." Her smile returns and she shrugs her shoulders. "But we can put that behind us, can't we? I mean … I'm here for you now." She relaxes her grip on the cup and places one hand on my arm for emphasis. "I'll support you, Annie … whatever you decide to do."

XXXXX

I lie awake on the sofa bed and listen to the sounds of the still busy city outside my window. My eyes are sore from crying and yet there are still tears forming and I let them roll down the sides of my face. We talked for hours and it felt so good. The similarities between us are still there to be found, in our appearance and our mannerisms. But she no longer resembles the isolated widow that I was beginning to impersonate. She has seen to that. It took the death of her beloved husband to make her take a good look at herself and she didn't like what she saw. So she changed.

For a moment, I thought she was going to preach to me about how I should do the same. But then she told me that she is proud of the success I have made of myself and how she brags about me to her new friends. It makes my current failure all the more difficult to accept.

It must have been that hideous night that I had spent with my former boss. The dates tie in and the fact that I hadn't slept with any other man except him since Henry kind of makes it obvious. Typical. It would have to happen this way. I'm not going to tell him, I've decided that much. Even if I could wangle some money out of him towards expenses, I don't want to even contemplate the idea of contacting him.

I think I've decided what to do. Mom seems to think I have – she said as much before she gave in to her weariness and climbed in to bed. She can stay for as long as I need her. What she meant was that she'll come with me. She'll go through it with me. And I realised then how much I need her.

I've heard this before. That a baby can bring mother and daughter together in a way that nothing else can. I'm glad that she's here. But it's not a baby that did it.

I can't think of it as a baby. It's too real. No. It's a thing, a growth. Something to be removed before it grows too big and starts to take over. It's already started to make its presence known on my figure. Okay, so there's no telltale bulge in my abdomen but I've gone up two bra sizes and my hips ache. But not for much longer.

I take a deep breath and run my fingers through my hair. Tomorrow we'll go together to the clinic and I'll have it removed. The growth will be gone and I can have my life back.

* * *

The decision has been made and that feels good. The sinking feeling in my stomach is not so good. I was glad to be able to skip breakfast this morning; I don't think I could have kept anything down anyway. But now my stomach is churning and I've needed to stop for a pee three times since we left the apartment. The taxi driver wasn't best pleased.

It doesn't look like an abortion clinic. The new red brick building seems more like a health spa and it feels odd as we climb out of the taxi and stare at the welcoming front porch.

Suddenly the reality of the situation hits me and my legs turn to jelly. Maybe it's the lack of food or even the pleasant effects of the hormones that are still currently playing havoc with me.

"Annie?"

Mom grabs my arm and I lean on her for support. I can see in her eyes that she knows what is going through my head and I'm glad – I don't think I could explain this feeling if I tried.

I'm going to kill someone. As much as I try to explain it away, it's the truth. I've heard all the arguments before but they never made me feel so ill. So guilty.

"D'you need more time, honey?" Mom asks softly as she steadies me outside the palm-guarded entrance.

Time? What is she thinking? In time, it'll grow bigger. It will invade every part of my being. I'll be able to feel it, sense it. Time will make it worse. It has to be today.

I shake my head and take a step further towards the front door. Then suddenly they are upon me. Hands are securing my arms, wrenching mom's hand from mine. I'm dragged back from the clinic and bundled into the back of a dark van. I try to scream and fight against them but something sharp has scratched my shoulder and suddenly the world goes black.

XXXXX

The first thing that I realise as I drift into consciousness is that I'm not alone. I can hear them talking on the other side of the room but their words make no sense and I let their mumblings wash through my mind. Then I discover that I'm still dressed and my hands and feet are free. I don't know why I even considered that but I've seen enough news reports to know what could have happened. Now I am aware of an ache in my shoulder and I remember the feeling of the needle piercing my skin. Soon the reality of having been abducted comes to me in crystal clarity and I cannot stop the frightened sob that escapes my lips.

"Ah. Look who's awake!"

The voice is obviously addressing me and I open my eyes, blinking at the sudden brightness.

"Hello there."

I turn my head and see that the voice belongs to a greying man. He is smiling warmly down at me. Too warmly.

"That was a stupid thing you almost did." The man continues, shoving his hands into the pockets of his white coat. A doctor?

"I …" My throat is dry and I cough hoarsely. Slowly I become aware of my surroundings and it appears to be some sort of laboratory. The equipment and monitors that are scattered around the room look ominous and I decide that it's definitely not the warm looking clinic. "Where am I?"

"That is not important." The man dismisses bluntly. "What is important is that you did not achieve what you intended to do. We have stopped you making a terrible mistake."

Now I'm confused. I had thought that pro-life activists were a little shabbier and a little less clinical. And what was I doing in a lab? I watch in wonder as the man approaches the bed that I'm lying on and his smile grows. I don't like him much. I like the sombre suit behind him even less. "What do you mean?" I ask carefully.

"You were going to destroy our creation." He answers matter-of-factly. "We can't allow that."

"What?" My heart is pounding in my head and dizziness washes over me but in a flash I have swung my legs over the side of the bed and leapt to my feet. Suddenly the suit is flying towards me and I gasp as he steps in front of the doctor and I am staring at the barrel of a gun.

"Now, now." The doctor laughs softly and places his hand on the suit's shoulder. "There's no need for all that." He gently pulls the man back from me and sighs loudly. "Calm down, Anna, and I'll explain."

He knows my name? Now I'm really scared and I'm wishing that – "Mom!" I suddenly realise in horror. "Where's my mom?"

"She's fine!" The doctor raises his hands in a gesture of calm and slowly shakes his head. "Calm down, Anna."

"Fuck off!" The words have left my mouth before I have time to think and the guard is glaring a warning at me. "Don't tell me to fucking calm down! Who the fuck are you? And where the hell am I?"

The doctor nods in understanding and indicates the bed behind me. I stay standing in defiance and watch his smile fade a little.

"You would be wise to not fuck with me, Anna."

I like his tone less than his fake smile and I perch on the edge of the bed obediently.

"You are part of a very important, very expensive project." The doctor begins, "You were carefully chosen to take part and you should be honoured. Our criteria were very specific."

Great. My shoulder's drop and I close my eyes. What the hell have I got messed up in? Have I filled in some competition entry without knowing? What consumer database have these guys got my details from? Then suddenly it hits me. For a moment I can't catch my breath and I stare at the doctor in horror as he smiles and nods in confirmation. My hand instinctively goes to my abdomen and for some reason I'm stroking the bulge that isn't yet there.

XXXXX

They say that something good always comes from a bad situation. I think that maybe, at some point in the future, I'll look back at this moment and realise this is one of the good things.

I'm curled up on the sofa in my apartment. Puccini is ringing out loudly through the speakers. Mom chose it – she remembered. I'm lying across her lap and she is gently stroking her fingers through my hair. If I was capable of processing any emotions right now, I think I'd come close to happy.

But I'm numb. And weak. Even crying is beyond me now. The tears still fall and soak into mom's trousers but I don't feel sad. I don't feel anything.

Mom cried. We sobbed together for a long while. From the moment we were dumped out of the van at the front entrance to the apartment block and during the elevator ride up to my floor. Empty, painful sobs of fear and anger. That soon faded as exhaustion kicked in and now I just lie here.

But mum is still crying. I can feel her gently trembling as she tries to sob quietly. She had freaked. Not that I blame her. I don't know what they said to her while we were separated but it was enough. She seems to know what has happened and is just as scared. She said that they kept her quite comfortable while they spoke with me. Gave her cups of tea and reassuring smiles. I don't know if she's just saying that to make me feel better but I can't deal with the possibility of mom being mistreated as well.

They treated me like a laboratory rat. I wasn't a person in their eyes. I was a project. An experiment. But a very precious one. No expense has been spared and I've yet to confirm the surveillance equipment that they claim has been spread through my apartment but I don't dare doubt them. I've already seen the car that sits across the street from my apartment block. The one that has been trailing me for almost a month now.

It still doesn't seem real. The fear and hurt is real enough but somehow it still feels like a nightmare from which I'm bound to wake up from soon. He told me details of the capture and the commencement of the project. The implantation.

I can't remember the day that he said I was taken there. But then they had made very sure that I wouldn't remember. He wouldn't say how, but my memory has been altered and that feels like even more of an invasion than what they have done to me physically.

I can't think about that. If I come even close to contemplating how they did what they have done to me I feel like my insides will implode. It's too much. Whether I'll ever be able to face it, I don't know. Right now, it's buried deep and that is where it will stay.

There is something there, though. A haze of images and sounds. And the strong smell of what I guess must have been sterilizing solution. I only know this because of the déjà-vu that tears through me when I catch even a trace of cleaning fluid. The first time was when I left the office late one night and they were cleaning the floors in the lobby. I had been struck with the sudden image of being held down and the feeling of being completely helpless. And terrified.

I stand slowly and am aware of mom watching me in concern as I stumble towards the bathroom. I need to go pee yet again. God knows where all this fluid is coming from; I've hardly drunk anything at all for days. Only when I'm at work do I sip at the iced water from the cooler, partly because the air conditioning makes my mouth dry but also to stop the shakes that dehydration brings on.

I sit there in the bathroom and realise that it is not only the nausea that prevents me from eating and drinking. Deep down I am trying to starve it out. Perhaps if I become too ill, this thing inside of me will just die. But that won't happen. I read the pamphlets that the gynaecologist gave me and some of it sank in. The growing baby will adapt and use whatever resources it can to survive. That's why pregnant women have to eat well. Not to fuel the pregnancy but to replace what the thing inside them is stealing. Even the glossy booklet with the glowing, smiling woman on the front agrees that it's a parasite.

"Annie? You okay?" Mom calls through the door.

"Yeah." I husk, for want of a better reply. I flush the toilet and wash my hands, catching sight of my reflection in the mirrored doors of the cabinet above the sink. God, I look awful. My dark eyes are bloodshot and surrounded by grey patches of tiredness. Even my hair, which had taken on a bouncy, glossy look of late, now hangs limply around my pale face and I stare at myself in wonder.

Mom is waiting for me outside the bathroom as I emerge and she holds up a small notepad. _We should call the police, _she has scribbled.

I look up into her wet, fear-filled eyes and shake my head. They made it perfectly clear what they would do to me if I tried to tell anyone what they had done to me. It involved being chained up for the remainder of the pregnancy and included threats towards my mom. I can't risk it.

Mom is scribbling something more on the paper and her jaw is clenched as she shows it to me. _We have to tell someone! There must be someone that can help you!_

I take the pen from her trembling hand and scratch an answer on the pad. _They'll kill you._ I look back up at her face and can see the fresh tears that are welling in her eyes. _We have to pretend everything is ok._

She closes her eyes as she reads that last scribble and turns away from me. Her shoulders sink as she makes her way back into the lounge and I hurry after her to throw my arms around her. We fall to our knees together on the laminate flooring and hold each other tightly as we cry.

* * *

For the past few days, I've managed a convincing merriment at work and I'm sure that some of the staff are starting to see me in a new light. Despite the amazing opportunity that this job is and how much I enjoy my work, I had still kept a low profile around the office and I know now that this is probably why the doctor picked me.

With few friends and an estranged mother, the loner from Boston must have seemed too good to be true. I would be easy to neutralise if necessary and there would be no one to notice.

So now I'm making myself heard. I've been invited out for drinks tomorrow night and people have not needed to look at my security pass to know my name. I'm real. I belong. I'm noticed. That'll fuck their plans.

"Anna? Can I see you for a moment?"

I look up from the presentation I've been planning on my laptop and smile a reply at my boss. Closing the file, I follow him back into his office and slide into the chair across the desk from him.

Wade. He's young for an assistant manager but he's well qualified, despite the rumours of moving up due to daddy's influence that the tongues in the coffee lounge wag.

"How do you feel you've been doing with us here?"

Shit. Please don't tell me this is happening. "I … well. I hope." I manage and clutch the arms of the chair.

Wade nods thoughtfully and then smiles warmly. "Very well, most of us would agree."

Somehow I manage to hold back a sigh of relief behind my teeth and return his smile. "Thanks."

"In fact, there's been an opening recently and I wondered if you would be interested."

"An opening?"

"The marketing division has need for a new director and …" His smile fades a little and he shrugs his shoulders. "Larry approached me and asked if you might be interested. I don't want to lose you, Anna – you've been invaluable since you started here – but it's a good opportunity. I guess it's my own stupid fault for speaking so highly of you at the last appraisal."

"Marketing division?" I repeat, hardly able to believe the good news that he is telling me.

"Yeah. They make the commercials and advertisements. It's somewhat different to what you're used to. You'd still be based here, though."

I think I see a flash of something in his eyes at that last part and his cheeks flush momentarily. Oh god, no. I can't add him being attracted to me to my list of worries right now. Even if I was interested in him, there is no way that I'd let him get even close to the dangerous situation I'm in. And there's the small matter of never wanting to be touched by a man again. Ever.

"Well? What do you think?"

"I don't think I'm ready for it." Where that response came from, I'm not sure. But it's true. I can't take that on. Not now.

"Fair enough." He shrugs, trying to conceal his relief. "But think it over. Give it a few days, maybe – or Larry will be accusing me of hogging you all to myself."

Please, don't. Don't flirt with me. Don't think of me that way. Suddenly I consider telling him. He'll have to know at some point – there's the small matter of maternity leave to arrange. But I'm not ready to face it yet. The congratulatory hugs. The baby shower. Not yet.

"Okay. That was all, Anna." Wade concludes merrily.

I stand slowly and make my way out of his office. I can sense that he wants to say something more. I can guess what that might be and pray that he doesn't speak the words. He quietly goes back to his work and I slip from his office to return to my desk.

* * *

Mom has noticed that I'm not eating well. If at all. I get home to the smell of her cooking in my kitchen and for a moment it smells so good. Then I remember my mission to destroy the thing within me and decline the bowl of pasta she offers me.

"Anna, you have to eat something."

"No, I don't." My reply comes out a little harsher than I had planned and I see her slight recoil. "Sorry." I add quickly.

Mom puts the food in the oven to keep warm and follows me into the bedroom. Her eyes follow me around the room as I change out of my suit and pull on my pyjamas.

"I know what you're trying to do but it won't work."

I untie my hair from its neat style and comb my fingers through the dark curls. "Maybe."

"It doesn't matter what you do – babies are very resilient."

"It's not a baby!" I shout suddenly and turn to face her. "It's a thing! A monster! And I want it out of me!" I cry into the room and look around for the cameras and the microphones that I know are recording my every move. "Do you hear me? I want it out!"

"Anna, don't!" Mom whispers in fear.

I look back at her worried face and sink down heavily on the edge of the bed. I'm beyond crying now and I just sit there in silence. She's right. It's foolish to make threats like that. All it will achieve is a padded room in a laboratory somewhere. And god knows what they would do to mom.

I follow mom into the kitchen and my heart is racing as I sit next to her at the table and lift a spoonful of pasta to my mouth. God, it tastes good. As much as I want to hate the food, it is wonderful and I can't remember when I tasted anything like this. Resisting the urge to quickly bolt down the entire bowlful, I eat slowly; my stomach has been empty for so long that I don't want to be ill. Or do I? Wasn't that the plan? I curse my body for betraying me and continue to munch on mom's pasta.

The pleasant feeling of having a full stomach soon makes me feel impossibly tired and I curl up on the sofa bed in front of the TV. I've not watched anything for a while and I'm not really watching it now. The images blur into a jumbled mess as I gaze at the screen and think.

Thinking is not a good plan. Thinking makes me panic and fills me with dread. But I can't stop myself and let my mind wander back to that day in the lab. The doctor was so very pleased with his experiment. The implantation had not been expected to succeed and they had been pleasantly surprised when this subject continued to maintain the pregnancy. So, I wasn't the first. And probably wouldn't be the last. I shuddered as I imagined how many women had already endured this. And how many still yet might.

I wish I could prevent it. I wish I had the power to stop what they were doing and save more women from this torment. If I were a braver person I might have gone to the press. Done something other than surrender.

Now I'm thinking again of ways to destroy the thing that is inside me. I knew that one possible method would be to do the abortion myself. Of course, without the right drugs and equipment, it wasn't easy but the idea was much the same. One day I had even got as far as sliding a long skewer inside myself. If I could only poke at it and maybe dislodge it. At least break the sac that protected it. But it had been too painful and I had accepted defeat.

Then I had decided that an overdose of alcohol or hard drugs might do the trick. I had heard somewhere that smoking cannabis could cause a bleed and this had seemed a real possibility. But just the smell of alcohol made me want to vomit and the scent of the smokers at work was too nauseating for my oversensitive sense of smell. It was the hormones. Mom said that she had gone off all of her favourite foods while she was carrying me. Great. My own body is trying to defend this thing that has been forced inside me.

I don't even know what it will be. Human, of course, I presume. I recall the doctor talking about gene splicing and the creation of the ultimate being. He spoke of alpha-groups and something about heightened physical abilities. I had just listened in stunned silence. He presumed I didn't understand but it was just the opposite. I could understand all too well the theories that he spoke of. I just didn't want to hear any more. It was too frightening. Too disturbing.

God, what is this doing to my psyche? There is a very real possibility that this whole thing might make me go mad. Not just crazy in an amusing, eccentric way. No, I could really lose it. I can already feel myself losing control of my emotions and I spend far too much of my day in a stunned stupor than can't be healthy. How long can I cope until I flip out?

* * *

The next day I got my answer. I don't know why I hadn't thought of this option before but it suddenly came to me in the taxi on the way home. My faithful tail was behind us all the way from the office and I glared at the two faceless people that watched me enter the apartment. They don't even try to be covert any more. They're just there. Wherever I go.

Mom was out and there was a note on the lounge table to say she had gone shopping. My newly discovered appetite had restored her hope and she had made it her mission to cook me healthy food. It gave her something productive to do and made her feel useful. And even when I was genuinely not hungry, I would eat something of her creation just to see the relief in her eyes.

I think she said something about making a cake tonight and it amuses me to think that my mother, the ultimate rich man's wife, knows how to bake. But, of course, I'm forgetting that she's not that person any longer. It makes what I have to do that much harder but there is no other choice.

At first I am surprised by how little pain there is. I watch in fascination as the sharp blade of the vegetable knife slices through my skin. A small bead of blood has already begun to form in the centre of the neat cut but it's nowhere near enough. I move the tip of the knife back to the far edge of the gash and slice it through again. Now it hurts. I must have brushed by a nerve because pain is shooting up my arm and for a moment my whole body seizes up.

It has to be this way. Overdosing is too risky – they might find me in time and pump my stomach. A gun – if I even had one – would be too messy and too loud. Others would hear and come to investigate. Then they would be caught up in this mess. I'm not brave enough to try and strangle myself and I don't have a car to suffocate on fumes with.

This was the winner. I had sat at my desk at the office and considered the alternatives. My mind is really that far gone.

Now there is a steady trickle of blood emerging from the deepened wound in my wrist and I watch in fascination as it drips off my skin and onto the white porcelain of the hand basin.

It's still not fast enough and I want it to be quick. Final. I don't want to be rescued. I try to insert the knife in the cut again but it hurts so much that I almost piss myself. I look around the bathroom for inspiration and then turn on the bath taps.

Ice-cold water numbs my skin and I reach into the flow to slice at the open wound. Now the blood is gushing and I smile in delight as I realise I must have gone deep enough to rupture a vessel. A bright pink puddle is swirling around the plug and I rest against the edge of the bath to watch the display.

I should do the other wrist as well, really, but this gash seems to be effective enough. It doesn't feel like long before dizzy lights are dancing in front of my eyes and I wonder for a moment if it's just the sight of the blood that is congealing on the bottom of the bath that is making me feel faint. I let my head fall onto the edge of the bath and close my eyes, a smile dancing on my mouth as I realise that I've won.

XXXXX

That's when mom found me. Her screams of horror still ring in my ears and I can remember begging her to just let me be. But she panicked. She couldn't see the bigger picture. All she knew was that her only remaining child lay bleeding on the bathroom floor. And she called 911.

The scariest thing was that the paramedics were actually quite convincing. They sounded real and seemed genuinely concerned. But I could smell their deception. That and the familiar chemical scent of the laboratory.

Of course, they had been monitoring the calls. I expected nothing less. But I had hoped for greater understanding from my mother.

I open my eyes and peer around at the bright, warm colours of the single room. A stark contrast to the laboratory that I was expecting to see, the décor is almost friendly and that makes me mad.

"Anna?"

I turn towards her voice and watch as she stands from her chair and smiles down at me. I should really hate her for this betrayal but there is such genuine affection in her tired eyes and I smile back at her.

"The doctor says you'll be fine."

That's not what I want to hear, Mom! I want to scream at her. I want to make her understand. I don't want to be alive.

"They're replacing the blood that you lost and you might be released tomorrow."

What? I look down at the IV line that runs into the back of my right hand and see the blood that flows in under my skin. "No!" I want to tear the line from me but my left arm is fixed in an elevated sling. I can't believe this! Haven't they done enough? I've already got their creature in my belly. I don't want someone else's life in my veins.

"Anna, stop." Mom pleads softly. "Calm down. Please."

Calm down? I stare at her in horror and then turn my face away from her tear-filled eyes. "Leave me alone."

"Anna -"

"Just go!" I regret the words as soon as they leave my mouth but I'm too tired to fight my own emotions and I listen to her light footfalls as she slowly leaves the room.

I'm not alone for long. The door opens and I can well imagine who has decided to stop by.

"You really don't get it, do you."

My heart is racing as I turn and watch him saunter across the room. There is that conceited smile and a look in his eyes that I cannot place but I know I don't much like.

"Anna. Anna. Anna." He sighs and stops at the side of the bed. "This was not a good plan."

He reaches out and places a hand firmly on my wrist, the unbound one. With his other hand he begins to stroke my cheek and I'm sure that I'm going to vomit right then and there. That might feel good actually. I would love to see it dripping down his face. See him gag at the stench.

"You cannot beat this." He moves his hand down to my neck and slowly his fingers spread and he is holding my throat tight. "If we wanted you dead, Anna …"

Just enough pressure on my windpipe to make me see stars and I can feel the heat of blood collecting in my face. I stare up at him defiantly but then I see the coldness in his eyes and I realise that he has done this before.

"There is nothing you can do but surrender." He continues in a whisper. "You are helpless against us."

The weight on my throat lifts and then his hand moves further down. I squirm beneath his touch as his fingers brush over the thin gown and linger for a moment on one of my swollen breasts. My discomfort brings a smile to his mouth and I freeze. He wants me to struggle. He gets off on it. I could kick out and could probably plant my foot hard between his legs but I can't risk missing. The bastard will probably enjoy hitting me back.

"Just accept it, Anna. You are ours to do with as we please."

Something in his words drags a long buried memory from the deepest part of my mind and I close my eyes. The image is clear in my head and I can feel angry tears welling. I've been here before. I was tied down. Held down. He was performing some sort of exam and I was held open before him. Maybe it was the day of the implantation. I can't remember. All I can remember is his fingers inside me. His hands touching me. The burning in my thighs as I tensed against the restraints and tried to close my legs.

A sob escapes my lips and I bite my tongue to hold back the rest. It was enough for him though. His smile grows as he senses my distress and he laughs softly.

"I like your mother, Anna." He stands up straight and removes his hands from me. "It would be a great shame to have to kill her."

"No!" I try to sound calm but what's the point. He already knows that he's succeeded. He has control. "Please. I'll do as you ask!"

"Well, now." He nods in approval and begins to wander from the room. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

The tears began to fall the moment he left the room and soon I am sobbing into the back of my free hand. Where once there would have been anger, despair, and hatred. Now there is just nothing. I am nothing. Just the vessel for him to grow his experiment in.

XXXXX

I must have cried myself to sleep and I wake to find that mom has returned. She is sitting further from me this time and is watching me in apprehension.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I didn't mean what I said."

She stands quickly at my words and hurries over to gather me in her arms. I can hear that she is trying not to cry and I hug her against me with my free arm. She holds me for a long while and then steps back from me to take a deep breath and shake the emotion from her head.

"They said I can take you home later tonight, if you like."

I nod a reply and rest back against the pillows.

"The coffee here is surprisingly good. I guess that's one of the perks of the excellent medical cover your job gives you."

God, she thinks this is a real hospital. She believes the illusion. I decide to go along with it. Maybe it's her way of coping. And I know they'll be listening.

"I called your boss. I told him you had a bad fall and hurt your wrist." She nods towards my heavily bandaged left arm and smiles thinly. "No one has to know."

But they will know. Eventually. Soon I'll be poor little Anna who got knocked up by her old boss and then tried to kill herself. Tried. She didn't even succeed.

"The nurses said that these things are always kept confidential. They said lots of people are seen here under similar circumstances. It's rather sad, isn't it?"

I stare at her in wonder. There was small talk and then there was this nonsense. Had she wiped the past few weeks completely from her mind?

"All the same. Maybe you should speak to someone. A psychologist."

The look in her eyes then told me that she was perfectly aware of the danger we were both in and had not forgotten what it was that had driven me to slice my wrist open. I watched her for a moment and realised that there was more that she so wanted to say. She knew very well where we were and who these people were. She was playing their sick game. And she was suggesting that I risk telling someone. She was putting her own life on the line. I don't think I have ever loved her more than in that moment.

"Okay, mom." I say softly.

A small smile and a slight sigh of relief. "Good." She nods and reaches into the pocket of her trousers. "One of the nurses gave me this."

I take the card and read the name that is embossed in blue print. "He certainly has a lot of letters after his name." I mumble abstractly.

"He is very good, apparently."

I look back up at mom and see the fear that flashes briefly across her face. "But, mom -"

"No, Anna." She smiles in determination. Her mind is made up. "You need help."

* * *

The office is a comfortable room with dark furnishings and a pleasant aroma fills my lungs as I step inside. The car tailed me all the way here and I know that they're waiting outside with their listening devices. No threats have been made and no one has told me I can't come here. They must think that it is a good sign. I'm trying to adjust. I'm taking steps to adapt to their plan. It's a good thing their surveillance equipment can't read my mind.

I've only been waiting a few moments but already the receptionist has twice offered me refreshments. She seems worried that I have to wait at all. This must be a very exclusive practice. She's probably accustomed to people that think they are important getting unnecessarily impatient.

Mom's picking up the tab on this one. She insisted. This way we can keep it private. And she again feels useful. Needed. She has no idea how much.

I find myself gazing around the waiting room and a smile crosses my mouth. The room screams 'psychotherapy' at you. From the aesthetically pleasing colour scheme to the carefully placed plants and paintings. But it works. I find myself concentrating on my breathing and trying to relax. I don't want to make the job too easy for this guy. I want him to talk to me for at least a few minutes before he diagnoses me as a serious nutcase.

I remember mom's idea and wonder if this is the right person to tell the truth to. Sure, it'll be good for my psychological well being if I speak to this guy but if he simply shrugs and says he can't help then it'll be a waste of tears.

Crying is a given. I have no control of my emotions at the moment and I'm not looking forward to breaking down in front of some stranger. He might be well used to it. I'm not. Hence the steady, focused breathing.

A low buzzing then emanates from the receptionist's intercom and she presses a few buttons before looking over at me. "Miss Walker, the doctor will see you now."

I'm considering that cliché and smile in thanks as I stand and stride over to the door. What I see as I step into the office makes my heart rate suddenly step up a gear. So much for the relaxation exercises.

"Hello there. Miss Walker?" The doctor smiles in greeting and walks round the immense desk to shake my hand.

It's a woman. For a second, I'm not sure how to react. I was certain that the doctor was a man. I'm not sure what to think of this discovery. I was uncertain how I would feel talking about what had happened to me with a man and so I'm part relieved. But she looks no older than me and, as much as I hate myself for it, I am starting to doubt her experience.

"I … I was expecting someone else." I begin quickly, feeling that I ought to explain the shock that must be etched on my face.

She nods in understanding. "I'm afraid the professor was called away unexpectedly. If you would rather come back tomorrow …?"

Oh crap. I've offended her now. "No." I answer quickly. "I'm sorry." I sit down in the generous leather armchair she indicates and smile nervously. "It was a surprise, that's all."

She sits down on a matching chair opposite me and picks up a small file from her desk. While she glosses over the brief details that I had to provide when I arrived at the office, I take the chance to look around the room. I'm somewhat disappointed to find no couch in the room but notice that the same attention to detail has continued through from the reception area.

"Why did you try to kill yourself?"

The question startles me and I look back at her quickly. Where's the small talk? What happened to introducing me to this experience gently? She hasn't even told me her name. I can feel panic rising within me and I'm starting to think this was a bad idea. She is watching me thoughtfully, a gentle frown distorting the perfect eyebrows above the delicately framed glasses.

Suddenly I can feel anger building inside me as she continues to hold me in her gaze. Who does she think she is? She's probably just a student and thought she'd get a thrill from playing in the professor's chair for an afternoon.

Fine. She wants something to write her latest paper on? She thinks she can handle this? Fine.

"I've been impregnated with the genetically created embryo of some fucked up scheme to create a super-human. My life has been torn away from me for the sake of being their incubator. I have this thing growing inside me and I can't get it out of me. I can't destroy it in any way known to man and if I tell anyone about it, they'll murder my mother."

There. I glared at her in defiance. Get stuck on that one.

"We know."

What? Now I'm panicking. She's in on it. She's one of them. Oh god. They know I've tried to betray them. They'll kill my mom.

"We have long suspected that this was what was happening but we could find no proof."

Okay. So she's not one of them. My pulse settles a little. It's still twice the normal speed, but it's settled.

"How far pregnant are you?"

"Fifteen weeks." Give or take. I won't tell her I know the exact gestation in hours.

"Do you know who they are?"

"No." I laugh despite myself. "I don't even know who _you_ are!"

"Oh god, I'm sorry!" She leans forward and places her hand on my knee.

I've got a thing about being touched at the moment. Especially there. I flinch away from her and frown as I see the pain that suddenly crosses her face as she removes her hand.

"My name is Jean. Dr. Jean Grey. The professor and I work for an organisation that is trying to combat things like this …" she pauses for a moment, "Things such as what you're going through now."

I hear the empathy in her voice and can feel the tears starting to form. I don't want to cry. Not here. Not like this. I'm still not sure whether to trust her and I don't want to let my guard down.

"We can help you, Anna."

Don't talk to me like I'm your friend, I want to shout. _I've only just met you and I still don't know who you are._

"I'm serious, Anna." She frowns in earnest, "We can help you. You don't need to be frightened any longer."

God, do you know how hard it is to keep control right now? Don't force me to cry! "Mom!" I gasp suddenly and leap up from my seat. "Oh fuck! They will have heard me! They'll punish me!"

"No. It's okay, Anna." Jean has stood from her chair also and steps close to me. She slowly reaches out and gently places her hands on my shoulders. I shrug her off a little too roughly and she takes a step back, almost losing her balance.

"You don't understand! They can hear me! They'll know!"

"No." She repeats again. "Their equipment doesn't work in here."

I stare at her in amazement and begin to wonder who the hell she is working for. I start to believe that she really might be able to help me and a glimmer of hope fills my mind.

"I need to call some people, Anna." She smiles thinly. "We need to get you to safety."

"Is there such a place?" I ask in wonder and watch as her smile grows and she simply nods a reply. "What about my mom?"

"Her, too. I'll get someone on it right away." Jean agrees and picks up the phone to hit one of the speed dial buttons.

I sit back down in the chair and close my eyes. The possibility that I am moments away from being somewhere safe is too much to comprehend and I hang my head as the tears fall. I'm aware of her moving back towards me and I brace myself for her touch. I want to be soothed. I want to believe that this is real. She places her hand on my shoulder and I instinctively lean my head to rest my forehead against her arm.

"Hey, Scott. It's me." Jean finally speaks into the receiver. "I need an extraction."

I listen to the instructions she lists quickly and realise that she is absolutely serious. She sounds official, important. I don't know what branch of which organisation she is working for and I realise that I don't care. This could all soon be over.


	2. Chapter 2

_**ANNA**_

Relief has been replaced by terror. I cried for an age in the professor's office and was grateful for the strong arms that held me close. It had taken a moment to adjust to being comforted by her. No one other than my mom had been that close to me for so long. Not with my permission, at least.

Jean didn't say anything to me. Not a word. She just held me and let me cry. It felt so good. I didn't know this person; I didn't have to worry about whether my tears were upsetting her and I didn't have to explain anything. She already knew so much. I knew she would want to fill in some of the blanks later but she understood that this was not the time.

She understood. She knew about the experiments and what they had done to me. She knew how I must be feeling. It was only later that she told me that she is telepathic. She had shared my pain for a time and that couldn't have been easy.

Now all memory of that moment has been swept aside by my fear. I hadn't believed my own eyes when I stood on the roof of the building and watched the sleek black jet descend through the clouds above the city. Even as I sit here, buckled safely into the seat and aware of the g-forces that pull at me as we soar above the buildings, I can't fathom what is happening.

I closed my eyes as soon as Jean sat me down in the plane and I dare not open them. I'm so scared. I can hear her trying to soothe me and I'm aware of her introducing me to someone but I can't look. This is too much.

Now she's talking in a low voice with the pilot and I'm pretty sure what it is that she's debriefing him on. I think I hear him gasp in horror and my heart sinks. Please, don't pity me. I need help. I need this thing taken out of me. But don't feel sorry for me.

I can feel the jet falling slowly and then the light judder as it rests on the ground. There can't be many airplanes that can achieve a vertical descent. I'm intrigued and impressed.

The door opens and I can hear the echo of a very large room. Perhaps now it would be okay to open my eyes. I watch as Jean concludes her conversation with the pilot and then she notices me watching her. I must look terrified because she quickly hurries over and places a reassuring hand on my arm.

My legs feel like jelly as we descend the ramp from the plane and step into the immense hanger. The vast room is plain and empty except for another, larger version of the jet that we arrived in. Jean leads me across the shiny silver floor and through an almost invisible door in the mirrored walls.

The noise of the engines firing up startles me as Jean closes the door behind us and she shrugs an apology.

"My mom?"

"Scott's going to look for her now."

Scott? The pilot. Suddenly I feel embarrassed that I must have seemed so rude. A sigh escapes my lips and I shake my head in dismay as I follow her along the equally shiny corridor. I hope I'll have the chance to apologise for ignoring him.

"Where are we?" I ask cautiously. The flight wasn't that long but I have a feeling that we were moving at a considerably faster than usual speed.

"It's probably better if you don't know that."

Of course, I chide myself. This is a secret organisation. So secret that my knowledge of it's whereabouts would put me in danger. More danger.

Suddenly I'm reminded of being bundled into a van. Of being blindfolded as I was hauled through the laboratory grounds. My legs freeze and I stop midway down the corridor.

"It's okay." Jean offers softly and links her arm through mine. "You're safe now."

I want to believe her but how can I? All comprehension of what is meant by safe or happy has been wiped from my existence. But I'm too tired to argue.

The brief elevator ride brings us out into a very different corridor. The oak-panelled walls and expensive fittings clash with the harsh metallic surrounds of the basement. For a moment I'm reminded of my parent's house on the outskirts of Boston and suddenly I'm wishing I had never left there.

As if my staying could have prevented my father's death and stopped the cascade of events that had led me here. But then I would not have known my mother as I do now. It was all very confusing.

Jean leads me into a large bedroom a short way down the ornate hallway and I sit down as requested, on the sofa by the window. Outside, I can see that the house is nestled in some impressive surroundings and I wonder how isolated the place is.

"The surveillance teams won't be able to get a fix on you in here." Jean folds down the counterpane on the generous double bed and then walks across the room to stand before me. "We're too far from the road." She smiles and shrugs her shoulders. "And they won't get into the grounds."

I rest back against the cushions a little and glance around at the bedroom.

They obviously used the same interior designer as they did for the office in the city and the calming; warmth of the tasteful surroundings is having the desired soothing effect on my nerves.

"The professor will be here later this afternoon." Jean perches on the sofa beside me and takes a deep breath. She watches me for a moment and then a frown creases her brow. "I'm sorry for what you're going through."

Present tense. She isn't going to make all this a thing of the past just yet.

"It might be good to have some rest. We can talk about all this later."

I look from her concerned face to the welcoming linen of the bed and nod in agreement. Opening up to her for only this brief time has been tiring and I'm glad she understands. Of course, she understands. She has a degree in sorting through the muddle my head is in right now.

"We will help you, Anna." She offers softly. "In whatever way we can."

I can hear in her voice that she truly believes her words. She sounds as though she has done this before. Dealt with the terrifying things that have happened to me.

"I'll be in my office." Jean stands and strides over to the bedside table. She scribbles a number on the small block of paper and then turns back to smile softly. "Call if you need anything. I'll check on you in a while."

"Thank you." I offer as she leaves the room and watch as she nods gently and then closes the door behind her.

I have sat here for a while, trying to make sense of all that has happened. Glancing at the phone beside the bed, I wonder if I ought to call my apartment. Mom will answer and I can tell her where I am. She can get into a cab and join me here in the safety of the huge house. And it really does feel safe. The small glimmer of hope that has begun to fester somewhere inside me is growing and I know we'll be okay here. Trouble is, I don't know where here is. I don't even know if the place is listed. It must be. It's a school.

But Scott has gone to find mom and he'll bring her here. I wonder if she'll be as terrified as me when she sees the jet. With a sigh, I climb onto the bed and close my eyes.

XXXXX

Somehow I do manage to fall asleep and am surprised when a gentle knocking at the door disturbs me. I was really sleeping and it takes me a moment to come round.

"Anna?"

"Come in, Jean." I am lying on top of the covers, still clothed, and sit up slowly as she steps into the room.

"How are you feeling?"

I nod a reply and try to read her smile as she crosses the room towards me. Then I see the man that enters after her and I stand quickly.

"Please!" He raises his hands in reassurance and hurries up beside Jean. "Sit down, Anna."

Something about the tone of his voice makes me sink back onto the bed. I watch him warily. I recognise him as the pilot from the jet and I know that this is one of Jean's friends but I don't feel comfortable in his presence. Maybe it's simply the fact that I don't know him. Maybe it's that his sunglasses remind me of the guards that used to hover in the lab.

"Anna."

Jean sits beside me on the bed and now I decide that I really don't like how this feels. I can guess what she is about to tell me. That doesn't make it any less painful.

"Scott found your mom."

I close my eyes and feel the tears that tumble down my cheeks. I don't want to know any more. I can't hear this now.

"I'm sorry, Anna." Scott confirms gently.

"Leave me alone."

"Anna -" Jean begins.

She stops as I flop back onto the bed and roll away from her. I can sense that she wants to talk to me further but I just can't deal with this now. I'm praying that they'll just go and I am then aware of them quietly leaving the room.

XXXXX

I don't know for how long I've been lying here. The crying stopped a short while ago and now a familiar emptiness that has become my companion over the past few weeks fills the room.

As much as I don't want to think about what happened to her, I have to know. I've already imagined the worst fates that my confused mind could create and now I need an answer.

She picks up the telephone so quickly that I know she must have been waiting for me to call. I can't seem to find the words that I wanted to say but she says she'll come right away.

He found her in my apartment. A single bullet wound to the head. It was clinical. Accurate. I can only pray that it was fast.

"Anna …"

I can't move. Jean is gently stroking my hair and trying to comfort me. Just like mom did. "She knew this would happen." My voice is thin and I continue to gaze out the window at the approaching evening. "But she wanted me to get help."

"She was very brave." Jean offers gently.

"She was murdered."

"I'm so sorry, Anna."

"I shouldn't have come to see you." She doesn't answer but I can guess what she's thinking. It was a difficult choice but I chose nonetheless. It's my fault that mom was killed.

She sits there beside me in silence and I can understand that it must be hard to know what to say. I'm grateful for her decision to stay quiet rather than offering meaningless pleasantries.

Suddenly I'm aware of her attention moving away from me and I then hear the door opening. I can just about stand Jean's presence and begin to panic as I hear someone else entering the room.

"Charles." Jean greets him quietly.

The professor. I can't help but wonder if things would have been different had he been there this afternoon.

"Your mother was probably killed the moment you left the apartment."

His gentle statement shocks me and I sit up quickly to turn towards him. It surprises me to see the bald man in the wheelchair. Somehow I was expecting something very different. He smiles in understanding and I realise that my surprise must be evident but I'm way past caring.

"Hello, Anna."

I stare at him in horror and realise that, though I can hear him clearly, his mouth is not moving. In a heartbeat I have leapt up from the bed and am cowering in the corner of the room, as far away from him as possible.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

This time he is speaking aloud and I see his lips move but it doesn't come any where close to being reassuring.

"I thought perhaps that you were in a place where communicating in that way would be easier. It is helpful sometimes."

"Helpful?" I ask incredulously.

"I am sorry." He offers again and his smile fades into an expression full of concern.

I can feel fresh tears welling in my eyes as he regards me softly and I have the strangest feeling that somehow he is inside my mind. There are no words in my head. Just a presence. It is so comforting that I suddenly feel that I could simply let go. I could break down in front of this man and would not have to explain why. I suddenly feel so safe and it makes me feel like a child.

Memories of my father come flooding into my mind but that reminds me of the pain of his loss. And the new pain that is the murder of my mother. I shake my head to rid my mind of the thoughts and see Charles flinch a little. I want to believe that I can trust these people. I want to feel safe. But something inside me won't let go and I turn away from them to look out of the window at the sunset.

"Anna."

I hear the mechanical whirr of his chair moving towards me and watch his approaching reflection in the window. "Just leave me alone." I whisper huskily. In the glass I can see him nod slightly. He looks up at Jean and then guides his chair slowly from the room.

A few minutes have past and the colours in the sky above the grounds are changing dramatically. I take a deep breath and turn from the window. I knew she was still in the room and I feel strangely grateful as I walk towards her. She stands from the edge of the bed and watches me approach.

"Who are you?" I ask gently. "Who are you really?"

Jean takes a deep breath and perches back down on the edge of the bed. She pats the mattress beside her and I join her, searching her face for some clue as to whether this is going to be good news or more nightmare fodder.

"Mutants." Jean offers softly.

I frown at her in confusion and can then feel a gentle pressure on my mind as she places images in my thoughts. I want to resist at first but the strange sensation is something I quickly adapt to and am now thinking of news reports and press clippings. Most of the gossip is something I've been vaguely aware of and I can remember reading about an incident on Liberty Island a few months ago but I'm not really one for reading newspapers and tabloid magazines.

It makes sense. It not only explains how Jean and the professor can read my mind but also the secrecy about the school. The pupils here are not like other children and they need the security and guidance that Jean and her colleagues provide.

"I've been studying genetics for some time now and our work with the children has helped us to begin to understand ourselves. But there are some who must be years ahead of us."

I look down at my abdomen and close my eyes. "So … this … this thing … it's like you?"

"I don't know." Jean replies softly. "But that would be my best guess, yeah."

I look back up at her and frown slightly. "Are you going to help me?" She knows what I mean and her eyes glance briefly towards my abdomen.

"Anna, I -" She begins to answer but then something catches her attention and she glances towards the bedroom door. "Oh no."

It is a moment before I then hear running in the corridor and I instinctively begin to edge backwards. I watch in horror as the door is kicked open and swings violently to bang hard against the inside wall.

"Where is she!"

The man that had rushed forward into the open doorway peers wildly into the room and then suddenly his eyes fall on me. He growls angrily and clenches his fists, glaring at me in fury.

"Logan!" Jean shouts suddenly and holds up her hand towards him. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

I watch in awe as the man struggles against the invisible barrier that Jean has somehow created before him and for a moment he doesn't seem to be able to move. He glances at her in surprise but his face then once again becomes filled with anger as he slowly turns back towards me.

"It's her." He hisses furiously, "I could smell her from across the mansion."

"What?" Jean looks back at me and for a moment her eyes are filled with a terror that matches my own. I feel a now familiar tug at my mind and she frowns in confusion as she turns back towards the door. "Logan, she's not -"

"Let me go, Jean! I'm telling you – it's _her_!" Logan cries angrily.

My heart is pounding in my ears and my legs are shaking. I feel as though they may collapse beneath me at any moment as I stare in terror at the man in the doorway and suddenly feel like a small animal staring at the predator that is about to devour it. There is nothing that I can do but stand here, paralysed in fear. Then I see the metal claws that are slowly extending from his clenched fists and my stomach turns. Adrenaline surges through me but lack of sleep and hunger prevent me from running - and where would I go anyway? I feel faint and am certain that I'm going to tumble down onto the plush beige carpet at any moment.

"Logan!" Jean shouts, louder this time and there is an anger lacing her voice that even makes the creature in the doorway flinch slightly.

I suddenly realise that I've not breathed for a few moments and I allow myself a quick exhale and inhale, my head swimming dizzily.

"Logan!" Jean warns softly and shakes her head firmly. "Back off."

I watch as the man/creature slowly relaxes and the glinting metal claws slide back into his hands. His eyes are still fixed on me but his face softens a little, leaving only a frown of confusion.

"It's okay." Jean offers carefully and turns to smile at me in reassurance, her smile fading as she realises that I have gone way past scared now.

"Then why can I smell her?" Logan asks softly.

I can do nothing but stare at the man in the doorway. He looks no less threatening despite having relaxed his stance and I still feel like I want to run. I feel Jean touching my thoughts again and I am startled as an image of my mother leaps into my mind. I wasn't expecting it and I don't want her there now. It's too painful and I am barely coping as it is. I clutch at my head and finally my legs give in. I fall to my knees hard and collapse forward onto the floor. The mother that I barely knew had suddenly been so close to me and now she had been taken from me. Pain and regret for all the years we wasted in not speaking to each other courses through me and I start to sob uncontrollably. I don't like this feeling and I lift my head to look up at Jean. I want her to hold me like she did before and take away the guilt and loss that aches within me. My heart stops as I see the dismay on her face and I watch in horror as she shakes her head and sits down slowly on the edge of the bed.

"Oh no …" Jean groans and lets her head sink onto her chest with a sigh.

XXXXX

I don't know what Jean gave me but it must have worked fast. I can remember freaking out and can recall her trying to calm me down and then there was nothing. Slowly I open my eyes and realise that I'm lying in the bed, under the covers. The room is dark except for the gentle glow of the dim bedside lamp and I lay there in the silence.

I can't take this any more. I'm sure that my mind has left me. It was all too much and I know I lost it completely. I've never felt like that before. Even when I tried to kill myself in the bathroom of my apartment, I was rational, calm. But this was different. I freaked.

I can remember Jean trying to explain it to me but her words made no sense and they are no clearer now. Some creature that can change form had become my mother. The woman that had come to my apartment and stayed with me was not my mother. I should have known. I did know. The difference in my mother was clear but I was defenceless. I needed to believe that it was possible that my mother had changed and I needed her there. The creature had an easy job to convince me because I so wanted this new image of my mother to be real.

I sit up slowly, still woozy from the sedative that Jean had quickly injected into my arm. It was sensible of her to have had that syringe to hand but then she had read my mind enough times to perhaps know that I was going to lose it at some point.

I'm still clothed but my shoes have been removed and I can't be bothered to find them. I pad across the room in my socks and make my way slowly through the dim light towards the door. For some reason I expect it to be locked and am relieved as the handle turns easily and I open the door. I brush past the doorframe and feel the damage to the wood. The lock was completely shattered and I wonder if they had meant to fix that before I woke up.

Stepping out into the dimly lit hall, I peer into the long corridor with its immense oil paintings and museum-like ornaments. It seems empty and I take a step further from the room. Checking in the other direction, I see him standing slowly from his chair beside the door and I gasp slightly.

"Hey! Hey, it's okay!" He soothes quickly and holds up his hands in a gesture of reassurance. "Jean asked me to wait here. Just in case."

"Just in case what?" I demand, trying to sound more annoyed than terrified. I don't think I'm very convincing.

"She had some work to do but didn't want to leave you on your own." He smiles thinly, "I thought it would be better if I waited outside."

I look into his face and see the concern etched behind his glasses. He still seems too much like a security guard but at this close proximity I can see that his face is much softer than I had previously thought. I can vaguely recall something from the images Jean shared with me about why he has to wear the glasses all the time and it's a very different reason to the intimidation that the security guards wanted to convey but somehow knowing what is being held back behind the lenses is not reassuring.

"Are you okay?" He asks carefully and lowers his hands to shove them into the pockets of his trousers.

I watch him for a moment and realise that he is trying to appear less daunting. A friendly smile is dancing on his lips and he shrugs his shoulders slightly.

"No." I reply.

"Sorry." His smile has faded again. "Stupid question."

I hear the sigh that escapes his mouth as he chides himself for asking me that and he looks down at his feet uncomfortably. I am intrigued by his demeanour and again have a sense that somehow these people are sincere in their desire to help me. Then I remember the creature that came flying through the door and the claws that could have shredded me into linguine.

"Jean is working in her laboratory." He looks back up at me and takes a deep breath. "I can take you to her, if you like."

Laboratory? My skin has gone cold and I'm beginning to wonder what damage the increased overdoses in adrenaline might be doing to me.

"Hey."

I flinch back from him as he steps closer and reaches out his hand. I see the hurt that flashes across his face and realise that I am glaring at him in warning. He backs away and I realise that I am clutching the door for support. He had seen that and only wanted to help me. "I'm sorry." I offer gently, seeing in his face that he knows what monsters I am comparing him to. Jean has told him what happened to me. He knows I can't trust him. Not yet. "I'm sorry, Scott." I say again and force a smile to my lips.

"It's okay." Scott shrugs and steps away from the door. He begins to wander slowly along the corridor and then glances back at me. "Follow me."

It really is a laboratory. I had hoped that perhaps Jean was working in a room similar to the professor's office in the city but my heart sank as Scott stepped out of the elevator and I saw the cold metal corridor. He has shown me into an immense white and silver room and Jean is studying some data on one of the monitors nestled amongst a bank of computers on the far side.

"Anna?" Jean turns from her work and stands quickly. She can sense my terror and hurries quickly over to me to place her hand on my shoulder. She looks into my face and smiles softly as she nods in understanding.

This is far too familiar. The clinical surroundings, the equipment and even the guard standing beside me. I remind myself that Scott is not a guard. He's Jean's boyfriend and one of a group of people who want to help me.

"Do you want Scott to leave?"

I look into Jean's soft face and can feel her reassurance in my thoughts. I am also aware of Scott tensing beside me. I wonder if he thinks that I might try to hurt Jean. After the way I freaked out before, I don't know what I might be capable of. "No. It's okay."

Jean smiles and glances at Scott who nods and wanders over to the computers. He'll stay but he'll try to be inconspicuous. Somehow I find that funny but I'm not in the mood to laugh.

"We have confirmed that your mother is alive and well." Jean begins and takes my arm to gently guide me across the room to sit by the computers. "She was in Boston all along and she seems fine."

I follow Jean's gaze and see the aerial photographs of my parent's house. There is a close up of my mother in the garden, cooing over her precious roses. Suddenly I want to cry. It is so confusing to discover that my mother was not murdered but the person that I thought she had become has been taken from me. "How did she know?" I manage huskily.

"I guess you must have talked to the people that held you." Jean offers gently. "You must have spoken of your mother while you were sedated and all Mystique had to do was become what you desired."

"Mystique?" I frown and then remember the creature that Jean told me about. I shake my head in wonder and swallow back my tears. "She was very convincing."

"She has fooled us once or twice." Jean smiles and then senses the memory that floods into my mind. "She can get past just about any security system … except Logan."

I close my eyes and nod in understanding. He wasn't after me. He was chasing the scent that was all over me. It doesn't reassure me.

"He's real sorry that he scared you like that." Jean offers.

I look back up at her and manage a smile. I glance at the images of my mother and then frown slightly. "But … if she was working for them … why did she help me?"

"I don't know." Jean shrugs.

I can see Scott tensing in the corner of my eye and I turn to him. He is looking down at his hands and for a moment doesn't notice me watching him. When he then does look up his face is filled with concern and I gasp slightly. "She wanted me to lead her to you!"

"No." Scott shakes his head and manages a brief smile. "Mystique has been here before – she already knows exactly where we are."

"Then why …?" I look back at Jean and watch her shake her head in confusion. "Maybe she really wanted to help me?" I offer quietly.

"I doubt that!" Scott chuckles softly.

I catch the brief glare that Jean shoots at him and watch as she turns and smiles at me. "It's a possibility." She agrees and takes a deep breath. "But we won't take any chances."

"And what about me?" I look into her eyes and sense her hesitation. She knows what I mean.

"We can hide you here for a short while and then can arrange a safe house." Jean replies.

"But once you've destroyed the … it …" I close my eyes and swallow hard. I almost called it a baby. I have to get this thing out before it's too late and it starts to win over me. When I open my eyes, I can see the pain that flashes across Jean's face and my heart slams against my chest. "No!" I stand from my chair and glare down at her, aware of Scott hurrying up behind me. "You said you would help me!"

"Anna." Jean manages a smile and glances at Scott to nod in reassurance. He backs away slightly but I can sense him standing in readiness a short way off.

"You said you understood!" I cry angrily, tears welling in my eyes. "You have to help me! You have to get rid of it!"

"Anna." Jean's smile has faded and she steps towards me to place her hands on my arms. "It's going to be alright. We will help you. I promise." She takes a deep breath and then shakes her head slowly.

"No!" I gasp and stagger back from her. "You have to destroy it." I watch her in horror as her shoulders fall and she looks away from me. "NO!" I shout in fury and suddenly my anger takes over. I'm too confused and in too much pain to know what I'm doing and I've leapt at her. I want to make her understand. I don't mean to hurt her and she knows that. She understands. And she braces herself for the onslaught. But Scott can only see me starting to attack his girlfriend and before I can take another step closer to her he has swung his arm and his fist has slammed into the side of my head. Jean cries out in protest and it's the last thing I hear before I crumple to the floor.


	3. Chapter 3

_**JEAN**_

We pull up outside the ER and I look out through the passenger window at the busy front entrance. Scott's concerns are loud in my head and I can understand his doubts. For me, the decision has become easy. She is my patient and she needs my help. Despite having shared her thoughts, I did not realise the extent of her anguish. Her mind is a chaos of pain and confusion but when she lost control in the laboratory I finally understood. She is suffering and I have the power to end it.

"Not everything is black and white, Scott." I offer gently. He doesn't reply. He doesn't even turn to look at me. I watch his knuckles whiten as he grips the steering wheel hard and his jaw ripples as he clenches his teeth. For a moment I wonder if he has somehow forgotten that he doesn't need to speak for me to hear him and I listen to the concerns that bustle around in his mind. I shake my head in dismay and grab the door handle.

"It's a life, Jean."

I release my grip on the door and it swings closed with a gentle click. Looking back to him, I can see the frown that creases the skin above his glasses. He sighs and I don't need to be telepathic to hear the pain in his voice.

"Who are we to decide this?" He husks.

"We aren't making the decision." I reply softly. "Anna is." I place my hand on his arm and can feel the tension in his muscles beneath his shirt. Giving him a brief smile of what I hope he perceives as reassurance, I take a deep breath and climb from the car.

The ER is packed and as I approach the crowded front entrance I am greeted with a barrage of fear and despair. The smokers who have gathered in the ambulance bay to escape the pain and terror of the trauma department watch me as I stride past them. I can hear the brief flash of hope in their thoughts as they see the ID badge on my jacket lapel. They wonder if I've come to rescue their loved ones from the horror within and it brings an unexpected tear to my eye.

The reality is that I've come to get the means to kill someone.

I created the mental block as I stepped through the front entrance and I'm glad I did. Various sounds fly at me as I walk through the department and as I hear the frightened, pain-filled cries from the patients inside the curtained stalls, I am glad that I am spared a taste of what might be going through their minds.

"Jean?"

I turn back as I reach the end of the corridor and search among the staff that mill about frantically. I then see a familiar face and smile in greeting as the doctor makes his way over to me.

"Jean Grey?" he laughs in wonder and hurries closer to wrap his arms around me.

I hug him tight against me and then step back from him. "Hello, Edward."

"My god … how long has it been?" Edward sighs and then his eyes travel up and down my body. "You look fantastic!"

"Thanks, Eddie." I nod and am suddenly relieved that Scott offered to wait in the car. I begin to wonder if he had guessed who might be working tonight but I'll not ask him. That will only lead to trouble.

"I don't suppose you've come to offer your assistance?" Edward glances down at his bloodied theatre trousers and then smiles up at me.

"Sorry, Eddie."

Edward nods and shrugs his shoulders before then taking my arm and leading me through to the staff room at the rear of the department.

"So." Edward collapses onto the small sofa and pats the space beside him. "You still with the jock?"

I nod a reply and catch the glimpse of mischief in his pale green eyes, remembering back to what seems a lifetime ago. Edward enjoyed winding Scott up at college and I recall how glad I was that Scott had learned to control his temper by then. I watch Edward smile as he too begins to remember how he used to flirt with me. He has no idea how close he came to tasting Scott's anger. But I've not got time to sit and reminisce with Edward. Not now. So I tell him why I've come here.

"Oh." Edward's smile fades and he watches me in concern for a moment. "I thought you'd gone into medical research, Jean?"

"I did. I'm also doing a little private practice on the side." I offer lightly and watch the worry lines that dance on Edward's forehead. He knows exactly what the drug I've mentioned is used for. For a moment I think he is going to lecture me about ethics and that we'd suddenly be back in the medical library having a debate as we used to do at college.

I miss those days. Before we knew so much about the world. We thought we did and we were so eager to get out there and change it. Sometimes I long to have that innocence once again.

Edward is regarding me in concern and then nods quietly. I watch in wonder and relief as he slowly stands from the sofa and I can hear him mentally mapping out the most discreet way to the pharmacy supply cupboard.

"I'll not ask, Jean." He turns back as he reaches the door and his frown fades as he smiles down at me. "In return for drinks one night."

"Absolutely!" I chuckle softly.

"And they're on you." He adds and wanders from the room.

XXXXX

I climb quickly into the car that is already rumbling in readiness and I smile thinly at Scott. He glances at the bottle in my hand and sighs as he eases the car into gear and we pull away from the hospital.

"So how's Eddie?" Scott asks suddenly as we wait at a red light.

"Fine." I answer quickly. A little too quickly.

"I don't mind, Jean. You didn't have to lie." Scott is watching the vehicles flowing past us and his lips are tight as he focuses on the traffic ahead.

"I'm sorry." I close my eyes and am filled with regret for not trusting him the way he trusts me. And he does trust me. Implicitly. Gone are the days when he wouldn't let me out of his sight and he even seems okay when Logan and I are alone together.

"I don't mean to be so possessive …"

I look up at him and can see that he has closed his eyes. His dark glasses have become dull in the light from the headlights around us.

"It's just …"

I watch in wonder as he turns towards me and the ruby lenses flicker into life as he opens his eyes. It makes my heart race and I smile up at him.

"You know how precious you are to me."

I nod and reach up to place my hand on his cheek. I can see my own reflection in the lenses and I know that I'm all he sees.

"I guess I'm just a jerk, sometimes." Scott continues quietly.

"Will you just shut up!" I laugh softly and lean closer to him to place a kiss on his lips. Suddenly I'm a teenager again and my hormones are racing. Something about having seen Eddie again after so long has sparked a memory in me and I'm lost in the sensation of Scott's lips against mine. Everything fades and nothing seems as important as kissing this beautiful man. His hands leave the wheel and soon his fingers are getting tangled in my hair and his heavy breath washes across my lips as he searches my mouth with his tongue.

A sudden hooting behind us makes us both jump and we're giggling like children as Scott realises that the light is green and fumbles with the transmission. It feels wonderful as he grins at me and then launches the car across the junction.

Then I remember the bottle of pills in my hand and the task that I have yet to do. And again I'm wishing that I didn't have this responsibility.

Scott is still chuckling to himself as he we make our way out of the city and onto the freeway. It's after midnight and the road out towards the mansion is quiet. I peer out of the window at the darkness beyond the road and feel the lurch of the car stepping up a gear. A smile crosses my lips as I glance over at the speedometer and Scott grins down at me. He doesn't have to hurry back. I'm in no great rush to do what I have to do. His blow to Anna's head will keep her unconscious for a while yet.

But Scott likes the speed. He is a good driver and this is a powerful car. He settles back against the seat and reaches out to place a hand on my thigh. I lace my fingers through his and close my eyes. I listen to the sound of the engine and can feel the gentle pressure of the speed pressing me into the seat.

I hear the concern in his thoughts well before he speaks and as he glances as me worriedly, I sit up and turn to look behind us.

"It's been with us since we left the hospital." Scott offers quietly. "I'm doing 120 already. I don't want to push it on these corners."

"Fuck that!" I laugh despite my concern and squeeze his fingers tightly. "I can steady us. Just lose them."

Scott glances at me and then a smile flashes across his mouth as he presses down on the accelerator. After a few minutes, the pair of lights that had been tailing us started to fall back and now they have disappeared from view.

"It might not be anything." Scott suggests after a moment, glancing in the rear view mirror.

"You think?"

He looks across at me and shrugs his shoulders. "No." Looking back at the road, still maintaining the speed, he takes a deep breath. "We need to know more than Anna has told us."

"Charles won't read her without her permission. And she's still too wary of him to let him talk with her." I hear the question in his thoughts and smile warmly. "Thank you for the compliment, but you know I'm not powerful enough." I shrug my shoulders and keep focusing on steadying the speeding car, keeping our balance as we plough into the corners of the country roads near the mansion.

We make our way down into the lower levels and I'm surprised to see Logan standing guard outside the infirmary. He seems relieved to see us and that makes me worry even more. I then hear the crying coming from beyond the door and quicken my pace along the corridor.

"Your friend woke up and went bezerkoid on us." Logan offers and frowns at me in concern. "You sure she's not dangerous, Jean?"

I see him glance down at his hands and understand his fear. "It's not like that, Logan."

"You sure? They could have done god knows what to her in that lab." Logan continues.

I can feel Scott tensing as Logan questions me and I reach out behind me to place my hand on his arm. "They made her pregnant, Logan. She's hurt and confused. That's all." I look towards the door and my heart sinks as I listen to her sobbing.

"The professor's with her." Logan says quietly. "He was afraid she'd hurt herself."

I step quickly towards the door and it slides open automatically. Stepping inside, I can see that some of the equipment has been damaged and various papers and instruments are scattered across the floor. Anna is lying curled up on her side on one of the beds, her body shaking with her sobs. I turn to the professor and watch as he sits in his wheelchair beside her and gently strokes her hair.

"She let you approach her?" I whisper softly as I step towards the bed.

The professor looks up at me and smiles warmly. "Because I projected an image of you."

"Oh." I look down at Anna and watch her crying. Her eyes are closed but I can hear her conscious thoughts. She has come very close to losing control but the professor must have got to her in time. "Have you …?" I look back at the professor. "Can you see anything more?"

The professor turns back to Anna and reaches out to stroke a lock of hair from her pale forehead. "She isn't ready." He looks back at me and smiles again. "But she trusts you."

"I don't think I - " I begin to protest and then hear the confidence in the professor's thoughts. I smile and nod slightly.

"You know where I'll be if you need me." The professor says softly and guides his chair from the room.

"Jean?"

I turn to see Scott watching me through the now open door. "I'll be fine." I smile in reassurance, knowing that he'll wait outside the room for me nonetheless. I watch him nod and then the door slides closed.

"Anna?" I pull a chair up beside the bed and reach out to place my hand on Anna's arm. "Honey?"

Slowly Anna calms and opens her eyes. Her face is wet with tears and her eyes red from crying. "Jean?"

"Hey there." I know she's not that much younger than me but right now she looks like a frightened child and I've dealt with those many times.

"I'm sorry about your lab." Anna says quietly.

"It's okay. Its just stuff. It can be repaired."

"I woke up in here and I thought - "

I catch a glimpse of something in Anna's thoughts and my heart sinks. "I'm sorry. I didn't think. It must have seemed that you were back there again."

"Jean …" Anna slowly sits up and swings her legs over the bed.

I know what she's going to ask and I nod a reply. Reaching into my jacket pocket, I take out the bottle of pills and hold it towards her.

Anna holds her breath as she reaches out towards me, her hand shaking as she takes the bottle.

"You need to take the one that ends the pregnancy first. Then the others you take until you go into labour."

"Labour?" Anna gasps and looks up at me worriedly.

"It's the only way I could think of that would be the least traumatic. The other way is …" I close my eyes at the thought and am surprised as Anna steps down from the bed and places her hand on my arm.

"I know. I was wrong to place this all in your hands." Anna says softly. "I couldn't ask you to do that."

I nod and look back up into her weary face. "I can give you some really strong painkillers so that … it shouldn't be too bad."

Anna looks down at the bottle in her hand and takes a deep breath.

"Anna." I step closer to her and place my hands on her shoulders. "I'm here for you."

"I know."

"Listen, we - "

"Need to know more." Anna offers quickly.

"Yeah." I smile and shrug my shoulders slightly.

"Okay." Anna closes her hand around the pills and leans her head forward to rest her forehead against my shoulder. "Okay."

XXXXX

I walk slowly along the corridor and make my way through to the bedroom. I can sense that he's inside long before I open the door and my heart sinks. How do I tell him? We share everything. Usually he's the first person I need when I'm upset. But not this time.

I let go of the door handle and step away from the bedroom. Taking a deep breath I wander through to the conservatory and sit in the darkness of the glass room to look out at the stars.

He knew I was with Anna in her room and he knew what I was doing. He wouldn't be Scott if he didn't worry and I'm not surprised as I hear him approach. I can't have been in the conservatory for more than about ten minutes. If I tell him to leave me alone, he'll only worry more.

"Jean?"

I turn from the view out of the immense window beside me and see him standing in the doorway.

"What's wrong?" Scott asks softly and begins to walk slowly over to me.

"I read Anna." I'm too tired and too upset to play with words and I can see from the concern on his face that he knows exactly what I mean.

"Oh." He steps up to stand beside my chair and his expression tells me that he has now seen the tear tracks on my face. "Oh shit."

"I can't …" I clear my throat and swallow back the bile in my throat. "I don't want to believe that people can be so evil."

"Oh baby!" He kneels down beside me and watches me in concern. He knows me well enough to let me have a little space and although I know that he wants to gather me in his arms, he waits patiently for me to ask him to. It's in times like this that I realise how much I love him.

But I don't want him near me. It will be a while before I'll want anyone to touch me. The images in my head are still too raw. Now I know why Anna has freaked out the way she has.

"How is she?" Scott asks gently.

"The professor is with her." I close my eyes as I recall how she had panicked when he had entered the room. It had taken a while to convince her that she was safe with him. I didn't want to force his presence on her but I needed some space. I was no good to her while I was so upset.

Scott is watching me in concern and slowly reaches out to place his hand on mine. "Is it as bad as we thought?" He flinches as he sees the look in my eyes and hangs his head. "Oh no ..."

"I should go back to her." I stand from my chair and hold my breath as he stands and steps in front of me.

"Maybe you shouldn't take this on by yourself." He suggests quickly. "Ororo will be back in a few days."

"She trusts _me_, Scott." I reply, a little too harshly. "She needs me."

"Just …" Scott steps closer to me and gasps as I flinch at his touch. I look away from the hurt in his face and block out the panic in his thoughts.

"Just be careful." He concludes and steps out of my path.

My mind is a confusion of regret and fear. I can't get rid of the image of the hurt on Scott's face but there are also the images that I have pulled from Anna's mind to contend with.

XXXXX

I open the bedroom door and can hear her talking quietly with the professor. They are chatting about opera and it brings a smile to my face. I knew that he would find something to help him get through. After years of counselling experience, there were few that he could not connect with. I wonder for a moment if I should perhaps let them continue alone but then Anna looks over at me and I can tell that she needs a break.

The professor bids Anna good night and sends me a telepathic thought. He won't be far away and I'm grateful for that. I watch him leave and then wander across the room to sit on the edge of Anna's bed.

"How are you doing?" Anna frowns at me.

I smile at her and see the exhaustion in her eyes. "It's my job to ask _you_ that."

Anna reaches out and places her hand on mine. "It can't have been easy to see those things."

I look into her dark eyes and am reminded that this is not a lost teenager that I'm dealing with. "No." I agree honestly. "But the professor can use some of the information to try and work out who these people are." I smile thinly. "We can try to find them. Stop them." I catch the thought that flashes through Anna's mind and my heart races. "You can't fight evil with evil, Anna."

Anna looks away from me and nods in understanding.

"So. How are you feeling?"

"Fine." Anna shrugs.

"No pain?"

"No." Anna looks back at me and frowns slightly. "Should it be working by now?"

"Well …" I glance at my watch and can't believe that the dawn will soon be approaching. "Maybe it takes a while to get into your system. You should take the next tablet."

"D'you think we should check - " Anna pauses for a moment and swallows hard. "Should we check that it's dead?"

The idea makes me shudder and for a moment I don't know how to respond. She does have a point though. It's a long time since I've seen an aborted foetus and quite how Anna is going to cope, I have no idea. If the foetus then moves or breathes when – I shake the idea from my head and take a deep breath. "It's up to you. I've got an ultrasound scanner downstairs."

Anna considers her response for a long moment and then simply looks up at me and nods.

We make our way along the corridor towards the elevator and I catch a glimpse of someone sensing us. I hear the instinctive reaction that our footsteps have elicited and smile to myself. I never before realised just how safe we are when he is here.

_It's all right, Logan. It's only me. Go back to sleep._

I feel him relax and his thoughts sink back into contented sleep. My smile grows but I manage to hide it before Anna turns to me as we reach the elevator.

My hand is shaking as I pick up the ultrasound probe and Anna lifts her t-shirt to reveal the subtle swelling of her abdomen. I hesitate for a moment and look into her worried face. Perhaps this is a bad idea. If I see it on the screen, it'll be real.

"Jean?" Anna reaches up and places her hand on my arm. "You okay?"

I nod and take a deep breath as I squeeze out a line of transmission jelly onto her skin and then gently place the probe on her abdomen. And there it is. The image on the screen is clearer that I had expected. I've used the scanner on patients before, to check for internal bleeding or during fitness checks to examine their cardiac output. Never before have I seen a baby fill the computer monitor.

A baby. Anna can call it what she wants and I can understand how she feels. To a point. But as I watch the image on the screen I can't believe what I'm seeing. What I have killed.

Then it moves. Both of us jump and I have instinctively pulled the probe away from Anna's skin. We stare at each other in horror and I then cautiously place the probe back into position. I move the probe to get a clearer image and there it is. The heart beating steadily.

"My god." Anna gasps. "It's alive!"

"I … I don't understand." I stammer. "The drug should have worked by now."

"It's a good job we checked." Anna mumbles.

"What? Why?" I ask suddenly, pulling my eyes away from the screen to look down at her. "What possible good has seeing this done?"

"Jean?" Anna frowns up at me in concern.

I see the fear in her eyes and switch off the ultrasound machine. I wipe the jelly from her skin and clean the probe. I am aware of her watching me apprehensively and I sit down heavily on the chair beside her bed.

"Jean?" Anna sits up and hugs her knees to her chest. "What do we do now?"

I look up at her and honestly don't know what to say. I'm so confused. I close my eyes and try to compose myself. After a moment I stand and wrap my arms around her trembling shoulders. She leans against me gratefully and I run my fingers through her tangled hair.

"You want to study it. Don't you."

Her words startle me and I lean back from her to look into her troubled face.

"You've wanted to study it since I first told you. You're a scientist. I get that." Anna continues quietly. "I think if you'd said something before then I wouldn't have understood." She looks across at the now blank screen where the image of the baby had been and closes her eyes. "But I get it. You need to know."

"Anna …" I clutch her to me again and hold her tightly. I know how much what she is saying is hurting her and I want to tell her she's wrong. But she's not.

"Should we start now?" Anna mumbles against my neck.

"We've not slept." I reply and then realise that neither of us is tired now. And even if we were, it would take a miracle to let us sleep.

XXXXX

I wait a few moments for the local anaesthetic to take effect and then look up into Anna's face. I can hear that she's terrified but she's trying so hard to be brave and so I'll let her. She grips the edge of the bed and closes her eyes. I pass the wide bore needle through the skin of Anna's abdomen and watch on the ultrasound scanner as the tip pierces through the uterus wall.

"You okay?" I glance at Anna and watch her nod in reassurance. Holding my breath, I puncture the two membranes around the foetus and then slowly draw back a small amount of fluid.

The procedure over, Anna places a small plaster over the puncture wound in her skin and lies still on the bed. I check that she's okay and then get to work. It's only the second time that I've ever done this procedure and my heart is pounding. I warned Anna that the test might induce labour and saw the hope in her eyes. I'm not sure how I feel about that. I'm not sure how I feel about any of this. So I set to preparing the DNA samples for analysis and try to ignore the ethical arguments raging in my mind.

"This might take a while." I turn back from the slides and dying agents and see Anna resting on the bed. "Why not go up to your room?"

"Because I feel safer here with you." Anna says matter-of-factly and turns to smile at me. "If I'm not in your way, that is."

XXXXX

I'm not sure how long we've been down here in the lab but I've been working on the samples for a few hours and they are almost ready. Anna has fallen asleep on the exam bed and I can hear her gentle breathing. She seems peaceful and I continue with my work.

I jump, startled, as the door to the infirmary suddenly slides open and I look up quickly to see Scott standing there. "Shit! You scared me!" I hiss and nod towards the sleeping form behind me.

Scott shrugs an apology and wanders into the room. "I'm sorry." He whispers and watches me in concern as he nears me. "I was worried."

"Thanks." I smile up at him in reassurance. "We're fine."

"You sure?"

I nod gently and then return to my samples. The computer has been analysing the material that has been separated from the foetal cells in the fluid and my heart is racing in anticipation as the final results are displayed. "Oh my god."

XXXXX

I woke Anna and suggested that she get some rest. I told her that the results weren't ready yet and then led her back up to her room. Scott had not questioned me when I asked him to call people for a meeting and I could hear him speaking to Logan in the corridor as Anna and I emerged from the elevator and I guided her into her bed. She clambered under the covers and was soon fast asleep. I watched her for a moment to ensure she was settled and then made my way to the ready room.

It was a little after 9am and lessons were due to start but they might have to wait a moment and I chuckle to myself as I realise that the children will not complain.

I smile in delight as I see Ororo and Hank sitting in the conference room and they watch me in concern as I walk round the table to my chair. I see them glance at the professor and realise that he had already debriefed them. Good. That makes my job a little easier.

I sit down at the conference table and glance at Scott. He would usually reach out and touch me. Reassure me with a hand on my skin. But not today. He has remembered how I had reacted to him last night and instead just smiles softly. I make a mental note to thank him for that later.

"There's no doubt that the foetus has been genetically engineered." I begin. Straight to the point. I am finally tired and need to get rid of the burden of knowing what I know. "The markers are all there and this has been done with technology way beyond what we've seen before." I take a deep breath and try to clear my head of the image of the baby on the ultrasound screen. Anna was right. This was not a baby. This was a thing.

"These are from autopsy samples?" Hank asks in interest and looks through the DNA maps.

"No. The foetus is still alive."

"Alive?" Ororo frowns, "But the professor said - "

"I know." I sigh heavily. "We tried to kill it but … it's still alive."

"How?" Scott asks.

"It absorbed the medication and simply neutralised it."

"A self-defence mechanism?" Hank frowns in intrigue.

"Something like that." I nod and my heart begins to race. "The foetus has advanced healing."

I swallow hard and look across the table. Logan is breathing fast. I watch as he puts down the printout and closes his eyes. Slowly he lifts his head and his face is filled with pain. I nod at his unspoken question and am then aware of everyone turning to look at him.

"The DNA matches." I say softly.

XXXXX

I swallow back the lump in my throat and watch as Anna tries to take in all that I have told her. If ever there was a time when she might totally lose it, this is it. I had not needed to ask the professor to come with me to talk to her and I know Scott is waiting outside the bedroom.

"I …" Anna closes her eyes and sits down hard on the edge of the bed. "I don't understand."

"It can't be killed, Anna." I repeat softly.

"But …" Anna is now beginning to hyperventilate and she stands slowly as she tries to catch her breath. "That's not … not possible!" She stammers and shakes her head in disbelief as she stares at me. "Of course it can be killed."

"The drugs won't work, Anna."

"Drugs?" Anna laughs despite herself and steps closer to me. "Who needs fucking drugs! Just cut it out of me!" She is suddenly sobbing and then falls to her knees on the floor before me. "Please!" Anna pleads desperately.

"Anna …" I kneel down in front of her and place my hands on her shoulders. "I can't."

"Why?" Anna suddenly screams at me. "Why not? Just cut it out! Please!"

Tears are pouring down my cheeks as I watch her pleading with me and I see her hands gripping at her abdomen. If she could, I know that she would tear the foetus from her with her bare hands.

"Please, Jean! Please! You have to get rid of it!"

"I'm sorry. I can't. Don't ask me to do this."

"Why?" Anna cries again and falls forward into my arms.

I sit back on my heels and hold her close to me. I close my eyes as she cries into my chest and her whole body shakes with painful sobs. I want to tell her. I want to say that I can't kill one of our own. I can't do it. It's Logan's.

XXXXX

Anna cried and cried until finally exhaustion took over and I called for Scott. He hurried into the room and helped me lift Anna into bed. I was just as drained and my own tears stained my cheeks and my clothes but I ignored his concern and heard the professor advising him to leave me be as I fled from down the corridor.

Now I'm sitting here in the infirmary, staring at the recorded image on the computer monitor. I had known this was happening. Experiments on mutants are not a new thing but this was only a theory. To create a pure mutant. If this had been a report from a lab I know I might have been intrigued, fascinated. But all I can feel at the moment is numb.

"I didn't think that it was possible."

I close my eyes as his voice echoes through the infirmary and then I can hear him approaching slowly. "It wasn't." I look across at him and see the confusion in his face. "It has never worked before."

Logan nods and looks down at his hands. "Hank tells me there's no doubt."

I shake my head slowly and glance at the screen before me. "They must have kept samples of your DNA when they …" I don't want to finish that sentence. Knowing now what Anna has been through creates a whole host of possibilities concerning Logan's torture.

"But …" Logan's frown deepens. "Why … after all this time?"

I shrug my shoulders. "They must have been waiting for the technology to improve, I guess."

Logan groans and lets his head fall into his hands. He takes a moment to compose himself and I manage to fight the urge to run to him and console him. I know that it would be nothing more than a comforting hug. But Scott doesn't see it that way. And I can't blame him. If only I hadn't been so damned honest when he'd asked me if I had feelings for Logan.

I watch as Logan takes a deep breath and then wanders towards me. Suddenly I'm panicking. What do I do if he hugs me? My own worries are then pushed aside as Logan catches sight of the image on the screen.

"My god …" He reaches out and touches the screen. Tracing the form of the foetus with his fingers.

His pain is clearly etched across his face and I forget all my doubts and throw my arms around his waist. My heart sinks as he buries his face into my neck and begins to cry softly.


	4. Chapter 4

_**ANNA**_

It doesn't get any easier as the days go by. And somehow I wonder why I thought that it might. I am beginning to understand why they won't help me kill the thing inside me but still I feel betrayed.

But I have no choice but to trust them. If I leave their protection, I'll be captured by whoever it was that did this to me in the first place.

And they still don't know who it was. Despite the efforts of both Jean and the professor, they can't find anything useful in my mind. Whoever it was, they were clever. Never speaking names in my presence. Never revealing where I was taken. All that we know now is when. And how often. And that is what scares me the most. I was taken countless times and tested for suitability.

The first implantation didn't take. The professor gleamed that little nugget of information last night. It's an odd sensation when they read my mind. It's not exactly painful and I can't always see what it is that they are gathering but the lingering memories that surface from somewhere deep inside are what haunts me.

I'm lying here now in the trembling aftershock of a vivid nightmare. I can't move. I'm so convinced by the realism of the dream that someone is in the room and I'm paralysed by fear. Just as I was when Logan tried to attack me. Or not me but who he thought I was.

This is going to cost me a fortune in psychotherapy. I'm glad my job has such good health benefits. Oh god. My job. Wade and everyone at the company. I wonder if they've noticed that I'm missing.

But from what the professor said the other day, my colleagues are probably in on the whole thing. I'm getting paranoid. I smile to myself as I recall someone once saying that it's not paranoia if they really are after you. And now I'm laughing. I've so lost it.

Jean knows I've lost it. She has carefully removed everything from my room that could possibly be used to harm myself. I can't hurt the baby. But it's buggered if I kill myself. And as yet I've not found a reason not to.

Baby. That's what they're all calling it now. I protested at first but I've given in now. Fine. It's a baby. Let them believe the illusion. I know the truth. It's a monster.

A perfect copy of the thing that tried to shred me. Logan DNA twisted together to make a creature that feels no pain and is indestructible.

Jean thinks that it will survive better than a human baby if is born early. She thought that would comfort me. She was wrong. I still have, at best, another 13 weeks of this hell.

Unable to sleep, I climb from the bed and pad across the room. I've got braver lately and have ventured out to explore the school. Of course, surveillance cameras follow me wherever I go. And that is strangely comforting.

I make my way to the kitchen and can remember a time when I tried to starve this thing out of me. There's no chance of that now. Chocolate ice cream is my current passion and the professor must have imported a whole factory supply of _Ben & Jerry's_. I open the freezer and take out a tub. Grabbing a spoon from the draw I sink down beside the table and begin my binge.

He must have known that it was me in here. Or it was a lucky guess. He makes sure his steps are loud as he approaches the kitchen and coughs obviously as he nears the door. I have freaked out too many times and people know how jumpy I am. So they make their presence known. I smile to myself as he enters. Subtle as an air raid.

"Hey." He greets me merrily and grabs a glass from the cupboard.

My mouth is full of ice cream and I wave my spoon in reply. I watch as he pours a glass of orange and sips at it before then raiding the box beside the bread bin. He grabs a chocolate muffin and sits down opposite me as he munches contentedly.

"You're up early." I offer between mouthfuls of ice cream.

Scott smiles and nods towards the window. "No. You overslept."

I look behind me and can see the approaching dawn in the sky above the grounds. "You've been tracking my movements?" I ask in interest and turn back to him.

Scott shrugs and sips at his orange juice. "It's sort of my job." He offers and then smiles again. "And I know you like your space so I tried to make sure that my morning gym routine didn't clash with your snacks."

"Oh." I stake my spoon into the ice cream and sit back against the chair. "Thanks."

"So. Why are you up late? Did you actually manage to sleep?"

I know there's a camera in my room and suddenly I'm wondering who watches the feed. I regard him warily for a moment and can't make out his complete expression past the glasses. The secret service look. The guards that held me down. Suddenly my heart is racing and I want to run back to my room. But it's not my room.

"Hey … Anna? You okay?"

"No." I answer quickly, surprising both of us. I watch the concern that crosses his face and hear him sigh in dismay.

"Cabin fever, huh?"

"What?"

Scott takes a deep breath and looks around at the kitchen and the house beyond. "I love this place. But even I would get sick of it if I had to stay inside." He continues to munch on his cake and then looks up at me thoughtfully. "You want to get some air?"

"What?"

"We could go out in the jet. Go somewhere remote and get some air."

I watch him in wonder for a moment and my heart is in my throat. "Would that be safe?"

"Sure," he shrugs, "Why not?"

I cannot help the smile that dances on my lips at the idea of escaping my prison for a time and I consider his proposal for a moment. "You're sure it's okay?"

"Yeah." He stands and smiles down at me, seeing the sparkle that must have come into my eyes. "I'll go get Jean." He nods and wonders from the kitchen.

XXXXX

I don't know what to wear. I guess the powerful jet could go just about anywhere and who knows what the weather will be like there. I finally decided to stick with jeans and a t-shirt and then grab a jumper as I head out the door. I wait patiently in the corridor for Scott, as he instructed. And then hear voices down the hallway.

"All set?" Jean asks cheerily.

I nod eagerly in reply and follow them into the elevator. I had started to panic at the idea of being alone with a man. Even if it is her Scott. I've been around him long enough to know that I can trust him but it still feels uncomfortable and I am relieved that Jean is joining us. I watch them holding hands as we descend to the lower levels and am now beginning to wonder who is chaperoning who as we step out into the bright corridor and head for the hanger.

The engines whirr into life as Scott settles into the pilot's seat and I buckle myself in behind him. "This was a great idea, Scott." I offer merrily and realise that I've actually been distracted from my worries for over twenty minutes already.

"Actually, it was Jean's idea." Scott shrugs.

"Oh." I look over at Jean and she smiles at me in reassurance.

I clutch at the seat as I feel the jet lift from the floor of the hanger and I look up through the front window to watch the roof of the hanger slide apart and we ascend into the pre-dawn sky.

"Where are we going?" I ask as we cruise away from the mansion at low altitude and then begin to climb above the clouds.

"To the beach." Scott chuckles a reply and glances at Jean.

Jean smiles as him and then her smile fades. "Actually. I have other plans."

I watch her in confusion and then realise in horror that this isn't Jean. Scott is focused on flying the plane and so doesn't see her prepare to strike.

"Scott!" I shout a warning but it's too late. Jean punches him hard in the face and he slumps over the controls. My heart is thudding against my chest and I begin to frantically struggle with the buckle of my seatbelt.

"Now where exactly are you planning on going?" Jean laughs coldly and stands from her chair to pull Scott away from the instrument panel. She enters a command into the controls and the autopilot light flicks on.

"What the hell is going on?" It's a stupid question and I know I'll kick myself for it later. I've already guessed what's happening and it's no surprise as Jean turns to stand before me and her body begins to ripple. Soon she has transformed into a strange blue creature and it smiles down at me.

I feel sick. And it's not my hormones or air sickness. It's not even the half-pint of ice cream that I downed half an hour ago – although that might make a nice pattern on the floor of the jet.

"Maybe you'll be more comfortable with this." The creature offers gently in a strange inhuman voice.

I watch in horror and am suddenly looking at my mother. My nausea has been replaced with anger and I struggle again to unbuckle myself. My mother is now laughing at me and I can feel tears welling in my eyes. This is cruel.

It is only a matter of moments before the jet begins to descend again and I watch as my mother morphs back into the blue form of the creature Jean called Mystique. I look out of the window beside me and see that we are descending into a field somewhere. The jet lands smoothly and the rear door opens.

I watch the opening in the floor with baited breath and then gasp as I see him appear up the ramp.

"Hello, Anna." He smirks and steps up into the jet. I struggle as he approaches and finally I get the damn buckle open. I wriggle free of the straps and stand from my chair to face him defiantly.

"Oh, we're not going to have a problem are we, Anna?" He asks calmly and suddenly raises a gun towards me.

"Fine. Shoot me." I smile and then watch as he walks up to me and then strides past me. I close my eyes as he places the gun against Scott's temple.

"Now. Are we going to have a problem?" The doctor asks again.

"No." I concede and look back up to see the grin on his face.

The doctor nods in relief and steps back to stand before me. "Good. I don't like killing. My work is just the opposite." His grin spreads and he presses his hand against my abdomen.

I want to spit at him but I don't know what he'll do to Scott and so I just stand there. Unresponsive. Unemotional. A trick I'll thank my mother for one day.

"I just want to check up on my creation." The doctor shrugs. "I don't care what games you want to play with your new buddies. In fact, I'm glad they took you in."

I stare at him in horror and then look past him to Mystique. She avoids my accusatory glare and wanders slowly out of the plane.

"I sort of hoped they would, in fact." The doctor continues.

I look back at his smug smile and can taste bile in my mouth.

"It's just about the safest option for you both." He strokes my abdomen and then glances at Scott. "They won't help you kill it." The doctor offers and then laughs softly. "But you already know that, don't you."

I can't reply. I just stare at him blankly, my head spinning.

"Tell me. Have they figured out whose DNA I used?"

I can't help but glare at him and I see in his face that he knows the answer.

"Good." He presses his hand harder against me and laughs softly. "It'll definitely be safe with them." Finally he steps back from me and heads out of the plane. "Come, Anna. Let's talk."

I watch him leave and am confused for a moment as I stand there alone. I then hear a low moan and turn quickly to see Scott coming round and he's rubbing at his jaw. "Scott!" I hurry through the seats towards him.

"What the hell happened?" Scott shakes his head groggily and looks up at me in confusion. "Why did Jean hit me?"

"It wasn't Jean – it was Mystique!" I blurt out in a panic.

"What!" Scott unbuckles his harness and stands quickly. We both then see the armed guards that are running up the ramp and into the jet.

"Scott!" I cry out but decide it would be better to not put up a fight and let the guards drag me from the jet. They bundle me down the ramp and throw me onto my knees in the field. I hear Scott then struggling against them and turn to see him fighting them desperately as they pull him down the ramp. He suddenly manages to break free and lands a few well-placed punches before one of the guards then slams the barrel of his gun into Scott's temple and he crumples to the floor.

"No!" I clamber to my feet and begin towards Scott. The air is then knocked from me as one of the guards kicks me hard and I collapse to my knees, clutching at my abdomen as I try to take a breath.

"Fool!" The doctor is suddenly upon us and glares angrily at the guard that kicked me.

I watch in terror as the doctor suddenly raises his gun and shoots the guard in the head. Blood showers down on me and now I can't fight the nausea any longer. My ice cream breakfast is hurled from me onto the grass and I have barely time to recover before I am forced to stand and then shoved into the waiting van.

XXXXX

My stomach is so painful. My chest aches from repeated vomiting and my abdomen is cramping repeatedly. I know I passed out in the van and now I'm lying here on the examination table praying that I will fall into blissful unconsciousness once again.

No such luck. I'm fully awake and acutely aware of every detail of the bright room and realise that I'm trying to absorb as much information as possible. Even if I do get drugged at some point, Jean and the professor can gather the data later.

A door opens on the far side of the room and I turn my head to watch the doctor wander inside. I can hear a struggle behind him and my heart sinks as I see Scott being dragged into the room. He stumbles between the guards that restrain him and then suddenly stops resisting them as he catches sight of me.

"Scott?" I try to sit up but the pain in my abdomen worsens and I flop back against the bed with a groan.

"Anna? You okay?" Scott asks hurriedly. "What have you done to her?" He then demands and receives an elbow in his chest as a reply.

"Scott, don't!" I plead through my tears. "Just do what they say. Please!"

I watch him in concern as he hangs his head and moans softly. I see him nod slowly and I close my eyes in relief.

"Now." The doctor has gathered some equipment together on a small trolley and wheels it towards me. "Let's see what's going on here."

I tense up and guard my abdomen with my hands as he tries to lift my t-shirt. He grabs my hands and squeezes my wrists tightly.

"Anna …" The doctor sighs. "I was hoping not to have to restrain you this time."

I open my eyes and look up into his sincere face. He nods behind him and I gasp as I see the gun that one of the guards has placed against Scott's cheek. Scott's jaw is clenched in defiance and I sigh in dismay. I watch him for a moment and wonder how his shades have stayed on. It's then that I see the blood that has trickled down the sides of his face and the stitches that hold his glasses on. I turn back to the doctor and can feel my empty stomach heaving again. "You bastard!" I husk.

"I will have him killed, Anna." The doctor replies calmly and I close my eyes, relaxing my arms and surrendering.

"Good." The doctor sighs and calls to his assistants to join him. They quickly begin to remove my trousers and I look over at Scott. He is standing obediently still and tears run down my cheeks as I see his ruby lenses fade and realise that he has closed his eyes.

I can hear the doctors mumbling about blood loss and a glimmer of hope stirs within me. I knew already that I was bleeding. And heavily. Now I'm praying that this is it. My body must finally have decided to side with me and is aborting the creature from me.

The constant touching and pressing of my abdomen is making the pain worse but I bite my tongue and try to lie still. They pass an ultrasound probe over my abdomen and I hold my breath. I then can't stop the groan of dismay that escapes my lips as I hear the steady thumping of a heartbeat that is not my own.

"Where is the bleeding coming from?" The doctor sighs in annoyance and presses the scanner against my abdomen.

They mutter together about something called placental abruption and chatter worriedly over me. I then hear their relief as they can find no source for the bleeding on the scan imaging. I can't believe my own body is continuing to betray me like this and tears are flooding down my cheeks. I am then aware of them adjusting the bed and many pairs of hands grab my legs. I can't help but fight them and I hear a thud across the room. Scott grunts in pain and I begin to sob as I try to relax at their touch.

I open my eyes to look across the room and can see Scott doubled over, his legs buckling beneath him. After a moment he manages to catch his breath and compose himself. I watch him stand up straight and see the determination in his face and the lack of brilliance in the lenses over his still closed eyes.

And that's all I can think of. Jean and the professor know what I have been through. But they chose to see. They searched my mind to find out what had happened. Scott hasn't got that choice. And I don't want him to be a part of this. I let the doctors lift my legs into the stirrups and I try to stay quiet. Scott won't know what they're doing if I stay quiet.

But suddenly the doctors have passed a speculum inside me and it's too much for me. I scream. And the frosted glass of the window beside me shatters. Glass rains down around me and for a moment I wonder if I really could have done that. I gasp as then all hell seems to break loose in the room. I open my eyes and can see a blur of blue as the creature attacks the guards.

The doctors have stopped the procedure and have stepped back from the table. I pull myself up and release the Velcro straps that were holding my legs in the stirrups.

"No! Someone stop her!" The doctor shouts in a panic.

At first I think he means me and then I see that he is watching Mystique in horror as she dodges bullets and strikes out at the guards that are now pouring into the room. Suddenly she is surrounded and my heart sinks as she stops fighting and raises her arms in surrender. I then see the grin on her face and follow her gaze.

She has freed Scott. I watch in wonder as he smiles in gratitude at Mystique and struggles against the tape that binds his hands.

The guards are too focused on Mystique to notice Scott and they look towards the doctor for their orders.

"What are you waiting for?" The doctor shouts angrily. "Shoot her!"

"Anna!" Scott yells a warning suddenly. I look across at him and gasp in horror. Leaping down from the bed and scrambling underneath one of the examination tables, I hear him cry out in pain as he rips his glasses from his face.

I don't really understand how his optic blasts work. Jean tried to explain it to me the other day and it made even less sense. All I know is that suddenly the laboratory is filled with bright red light and I can hear the screams of the doctors and guards that are blasted through the walls or through the partition windows. It seems to last only a moment and then the light is gone. An eerie silence fills the room and I start to think the worst.

Then suddenly a siren begins to sound and the sprinkler system spurts into life. I scramble out from my hiding place and stand slowly, leaning heavily on a nearby bench for support. I can't stop the satisfied smile that now dances on my lips as I behold the destroyed laboratory and the smoking remains of the equipment. There's an immense hole in the outer wall and I gasp in wonder as I look out at the morning sky.

"Anna?" Scott calls out worriedly.

I turn to see him sliding his glasses back on and he is searching the room for me. "Here!" I shout above the noise and watch him hurry over to me.

"Oh god. Anna!" He holds out his arms as he approaches me and I stumble into his embrace. "Are you okay?" he sighs against my cheek and squeezes me tightly. "I mean, can you walk?"

"Yeah." I manage as I clutch him against me and try to ignore the weariness that has suddenly come over me.

"Come on." Scott steps back from me and puts his arm around my waist to support me against him firmly.

I stagger through the lab beside him and look around at the bodies that are heaped amongst the rubble. "Where did Mystique go?"

"I don't know." Scott replies softly. "And as long as she stays the hell away from me, I don't give a shit."

"But she helped us."

"She helped _them_ first." Scott grates.

I nod in silence and try to hurry along the corridor beside him. I glance up at him as we run together through the downpour from the sprinklers and see the fury on his face. And the torn bleeding skin of his temples.

We flee through the corridor together and then duck into a fire exit. The stairwell is empty and we pause for a moment inside the door. I collapse against the wall and clutch at my aching abdomen, sure that I'm going to faint.

"Hey. Anna." Scott is breathing heavily as he approaches me and places his hand on my shoulder. "Come on. We need to keep moving." He winces suddenly and presses his palms into his bleeding temples.

"You okay?" I ask worriedly and watch as he manages a thin smile and nods unconvincingly.

Suddenly there is noise in the stairwell above us and Scott looks up, grabbing the arm of his glasses in readiness.

"Hey! Hey! Don't fire at me!" The young doctor turns the corner of the stairs and raises his hands in submission.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't blast you to hell!" Scott shouts in fury.

I glance at Scott's angry scowl and I then gasp as I watch the doctor transform into Mystique.

"You have to believe that I had no idea what they were doing here." Mystique offers quickly in her strange voice.

"Bullshit!" Scott grates.

"I'm serious!" She turns to me and her strange face is contorted into a gentle frown. "I thought they were treating you better than this."

"Oh, please!" Scott snarls.

I watch the odd creature for a moment and realise that she might be telling the truth. Even though I was so convinced of her impersonation of my mother, I did not tell her what had been done to me. I would not have been able to tell anyone. Putting it into words was too painful. And still is. Suddenly I'm so glad that I don't have to even try with Jean.

"Why are you even involved?" Scott asks angrily.

"We found out about the experiments and needed to know more." Mystique shrugs.

"We!" Scott demands angrily. "Where is he?"

"Safely locked away in your plastic cage, remember?" Mystique retorts and then again becomes sincere. "He was contacted by this doctor who said that he shared a common goal."

"You thought he was building a colony of mutants." Scott chuckles despite himself. "You thought you would have a whole host of new brotherhood devotees."

"At least we're facing the truth. We're preparing for what this world will throw at us and not pretending that we can exist in it." Mystique counters angrily. "How were we to know that they were creating an army!"

"Army?" I gasp.

"They wanted an indestructible force to wipe us out." Mystique nods slowly.

"And you helped them create it." Scott sighs, "Come on, Anna – I've heard enough of this shit." He helps me stand up straight and we begin down the stairs.

"Wait!" Mystique calls after us. "I can help you."

Scott glances back at her and shakes his head. "No thanks."

"I know where the jet is!" Mystique blurts out suddenly.

We stop and Scott lets out a heavy sigh as he turns back to her. We watch as she once again morphs into the form of a doctor and hurries down the steps after us.

We follow Mystique down the fire escape and outside the building. The sirens seem louder out here and shouting is coming from the yard in front of the building. I watch as Scott peers around the corner of the building and his shoulders droop.

"It looks like an entire regiment are gathering!" He hisses in annoyance and looks around us at the high perimeter wall. "We've got no hope out here in broad daylight."

Mystique frowns in thought and then begins to change once again. "I'll get us transport." The soldier declares gruffly and then jogs off into the yard.

"I think we should wait inside." Scott suggests and we hurry back in through the fire escape.

I lean against the inside wall and am feeling dizzy once again.

"Anna?" Scott is beside me in a moment and puts his arm around my shoulders. "It's okay. We'll be okay." He says gently and rests his cheek against my head.

I close my eyes and try to fight off the nausea that has risen in my throat. I let my head fall against his chest and listen to his heart pounding against my ear.

"You'll be okay." He repeats softly.

I lean there against him for a long moment and soon there is nothing. No pain. No nausea. No noise from the troops that are milling around just metres from us. Nothing but the soft skin of his neck against my forehead and his arms around me. And it seems crazy that suddenly here, of all places, I feel safe.

It only lasts a moment and soon I'm stepping away from Scott. I look down at the floor, away from his concerned expression and begin towards the door. As good as it felt, I just can't be close to him – to anyone.

The noise of the gunshot makes me jump and my ears are ringing as I lift my head and look around in fright. I then see the doctor who is standing above us at the top of the stairs and he smiles in greeting. I am then aware of Scott sinking down the wall and I turn back to him.

"Scott!" I gasp and then see the blood that is trickling from the small hole in his shirt. "No! Scott! No!" I try to hold him up but his legs have buckled beneath him and all I can do is watch him collapse to the floor. "Scott!" I cry out and fall to my knees beside his crumpled form. I turn his head towards me and can see the pain in his face.

"I see now that it was stupid to think that you would be alright out there in the world." The doctor has started to descend the stairs and sighs in dismay as he approaches me. "I should have kept you safely hidden away."

Scott is struggling to breathe and his face is distorted in anguish. I pull him up to sit against the wall and hold his head in my hands to look into his red lenses. "Stay with me!" I order shakily. "We'll get you out of here! You hear me? Scott!"

I watch in horror as the red glow of the lenses fades and Scott's head becomes heavy in my hands. "No!" I sob suddenly. "Scott!"

"Anna." The doctor is beside me now and reaches out to place his hand on my arm.

"Get the fuck off me!" I yell and shrug him off of me.

"Anna, it's over. Come on."

"No!" Suddenly I'm on my feet and I lash out wildly. I feel a satisfying crunch as my fist slams into his nose and the doctor staggers back from me. I watch him as he doubles over and clutches at his bleeding nose.

"Bitch!" He shouts angrily and slowly straightens up.

I hear him cock the gun well before he raises it towards me and I stare down the barrel calmly. The door behind me then opens and the soldier that hurries inside gasps in shock as he beholds the scene. I watch as the doctor quickly moves his arm and is now aiming past me.

Adrenaline is surging through me suddenly and before I know what I'm doing I have grabbed the doctor's wrist and as he squeezes the trigger I force his arm to bend and the shot goes wild. He staggers back and trips over the bottom stair. We tumble over together and I gasp as I fall on top of him and the gun fires. The pain in my right ear from the eardrum bursting is almost unbearable. It takes me a second to recover and when I open my eyes I realise that the doctor's fist is under his chin. I gag as I see that the top of his head has been blown clean off and his glazed eyes stare blankly up at me.

I quickly roll off of the doctor's body and lay there stunned on the floor.

"Are you hurt?" The soldier hurries across to lean over me and holds out his hand to help me up to my feet. "Are you okay?"

I stare at Mystique in confusion and realise that I can't hear anything in my right ear. It dazes me for a moment and then I look down at Scott and forget all of my concerns.

I scramble over to him quickly, "Scott!" My voice sounds loud in my head and I press my hand against his neck. I feel the gentle pulsing under my fingers and sigh in relief.

"Come on. I've got us transport." Mystique urges and gently moves me aside. She picks up Scott and easily lifts him over one shoulder. "They're too busy trying to work out what the explosion was. We can get out of here if we hurry."

I open the fire exit and see the back of the jeep that has been parked in front of the door. I open the rear door and quickly climb inside. Mystique gently lowers Scott into the jeep and I help to pull him further inside. The camouflage canvases then fall over the windows and I crouch down out of sight.

"There's a med kit in the side pocket." Mystique suggests quickly and closes the door.

"Like I'd know what to do with it." I mumble to myself and find the small metal box in the pocket on the side of the jeep. As the jeep speeds away through the yard, I search through the contents of the box and sigh in dismay. "Great. No instructions."

"Anna?" Scott groans suddenly.

I drop the box and crawl across the floor of the jeep to kneel beside him. "It's okay. Lie still. We're getting out of here." I offer gently and watch him in concern as he mumbles in confusion.

"Anna?" Scott frowns and then tries to sit up. "Oh god!" He clutches at his right side and collapses back onto the floor of the jeep.

"Hey. It's okay." I try to soothe his pain and gently stroke his hair back from his forehead.

After a moment he seems to calm and clenches his teeth against the pain. "What happened?" he manages.

"You were shot." I reply gently.

"What?" he lifts his head and looks down at the blood on his hand. "Oh shit!" His head falls back and he groans loudly.

Suddenly the jeep slows to a halt and I can hear Mystique talking to what must be the guards at the main gate. I put my hand over Scott's mouth to silence his moans and feel his hot breaths against my palm. I can hear Mystique thanking the guard and suddenly we're moving again.

God knows how we got through the checkpoint but we did. I lift my head and peer out through a gap in the camouflage at the warehouse behind us. "No way!" I gasp as I watch the guards close the gates and I see the sign on the wire fencing.

AREA 51.

"Shit!" I mutter in wonder and can then feel Scott groaning against my fingers.

He reaches up and pulls my hand away from his mouth. "You need …" Scott pauses for a moment to catch his breath. "Stop … bleeding …" he manages with difficulty.

"What?" I shake my head in despair, "Scott, I don't know the first thing about this kind of stuff!" I watch as he points towards the med kit and I begin sifting through the contents. He nods as I hold up a field dressing and my hands are shaking as I tear the packaging open.

Scott is trying to unbutton his shirt as I hurry back over to him and I grab the material to tear it open. I then lift the blood soaked t-shirt beneath and see the small wound under his ribs. Blood is trickling from the hole and I press the dressing over it. Scott tenses and clutches at my hand. I look up and see him grimacing in pain. I release my hold on the dressing and then gasp as he forces my hand harder onto the wound.

I look away from the anguish on his face and decide to stare at the floor. I then see the blood that is seeping from under him and my heart slams against my chest. He groans in protest as I gently roll him away from me and I see the larger wound in his back. Grabbing another dressing and ripping the plastic packet off with my teeth, I press the gauze against the flow of blood. Scott arches his back away from me and cries out in pain.

"I'm sorry!" I offer quickly and lean down to rest my head against his shoulder. I'm trying to fight off a fresh wave of nausea that the bucking jeep is not helping and suddenly all that has happened is beginning to sink in. I start to cry softly against his shoulder and rest there beside him while I press firmly over the dressings.

"It's okay, Anna." Scott husks and reaches up a bloodied hand to stroke my face. "It's not your fault." He offers quietly and I feel his body then tense against the pain and a sob escapes his clenched teeth.

I move further up behind him and rest my cheek against his. I can hear his breathing coming in quick gasps and can sense the effort it is taking him to stay calm.

We lay there for what could only have been a few minutes before the jeep then skids to a halt and the rear door opens. Mystique frowns in concern as she sees the blood and then climbs inside to help me with Scott. I can see him biting his lip against the pain as we sit him up and I quickly wrap a bandage around his chest.

Slowly we help him out of the jeep and he somehow manages to stagger between us and up the ramp into the jet. As we step inside he collapses to the floor with a groan and then lays still.

"Scott!" I urge in a panic. "How do we drive this thing? Scott?"

Scott slowly rolls onto his back and lifts his head to look up towards the control panel. "Emergency protocol." He gasps and tries to catch his breath. "Home!" He manages and then falls back against the floor of the jet.

"Voiceprint authorisation recognised."

The computerised voice echoes around the jet and I watch in wonder as the ramp begins to retract and the jet is suddenly lifting from the ground.


	5. Chapter 5

_**JEAN**_

I still can't believe that it took us so long to work out what had happened. When I awoke to find myself lying in an empty bed, I simply imagined Scott putting himself through his daily work out in the gym and then closed my eyes again.

Then Logan came hammering on my door and my heart sank as I opened it and saw the look on his face.

"She's been here." Logan growled.

I now sit with Hank in one of the bright rooms under the mansion and we watch the security camera footage. One feed has followed Anna into the kitchen and then shows Scott sitting chatting with her. There is no sound and I find myself trying to read his lips. I tell myself to stop being silly and look across at the other monitor.

Now I know that I was still fast asleep while all this was happening. It was the best night's rest I've had in a long while. My head is still groggy now from having fallen so deeply. But suddenly I'm watching myself waiting for Scott in the hallway. I nod in agreement at something he has suggested and when he walks out of shot I follow him.

"I have managed to locate the Blackbird." Hank announces suddenly.

I turn to see him frowning in annoyance at the computer monitor before him. I'm glad that he feels just as bad as me for letting this happen. It's not absolute routine to inform all of us if the Blackbird is going to be taken out and even Hank thought nothing of the noise of the engines as it left almost two hours ago. Until Logan began pounding on his door.

"It's on its way back here." Hank reports in astonishment.

I lean closer to the look at the data pouring from the tracking system and then slowly stand. Turning from the bank of computers I see Logan standing in the doorway and hold my breath as I see the dismay in his troubled expression.

"Did you wake the professor?" I ask softly as I approach him.

Logan nods in reply.

"The jet is heading back." I offer quickly and can see in his face that he knows what I'm worried about. He follows close behind me as I make my way to the hanger.

I can hear the proximity alarm bleeping loudly beyond the door to the hanger. And now the warning signal that the roof is about to slide open is echoing around the corridor. The entrance to the hanger seals automatically as the jet descends and the noise from the powerful engines rumbles through the floor beneath our feet.

"Maybe he really did just want to take her for a quick ride." I think aloud and look up into Logan's concerned face. "He did mention something about it yesterday."

"Are you sure he was himself yesterday." Logan counters softly.

I watch him regarding me in apprehension and I shrug my shoulders. I was so tired. Drained from all that has happened. Out of focus due to lack of sleep. Distracted by the images from Anna's memory that haunt my thoughts.

I hear the jet engines die and the door before us unlocks automatically. In a flash Logan has burst into the hanger and I hear the snick of his claws unsheathing. I step more cautiously after him into the immense room and my heart is pounding in my ears as the ramp lowers from the underbelly of the jet. I see in the corner of my vision that Hank and Ororo are also entering the hanger from the opposite corner and I feel my body tense.

She must have known that we would be wary of the jet returning. She should have guessed that we would have worked out what had happened. Even if it had taken us longer than it should have. But Anna comes tearing down the ramp and only I can sense that it is really her.

All Logan knows is that the opening of the jet door has unleashed a powerful scent from within and he cries out in anger. He still has little control over his instincts and I watch in horror as he launches himself at the person that is descending the ramp.

Anna screams in terror as she reaches the bottom of the ramp and sees the enraged creature flying at her. She covers her face with her arms and cowers back from him. When the impact never comes she slowly lowers her hands and gasps as she sees her attacker hovering in the air before her.

I slowly lower Logan to the ground and release my hold on him as his feet touch the floor. "It's not Mystique!" I call out hurriedly as I see him glance at me in fury. "She's not here." I add, scanning the interior of the jet and the hanger for her presence. Suddenly my mind rests on something that makes my heart stop. I can hear the pain that briefly fills his thoughts and now I'm running towards the jet.

Anna is still watching Logan in fear and then sees me heading for her. She seems to realise what I've discovered and looks up into the jet.

I see the blood on Anna's hands and tears begin to blur my view as I race up into the jet. As I see him lying there on the floor, I crumple. For a brief moment I cannot move. My mind is blank and it feels as though the world has stopped turning.

Then my medical training kicks in. I switch to autopilot in a heartbeat and have knelt down beside him to assess his condition. My emotions pushed aside, I begin to quickly examine him and mentally plan out what treatment he needs. He is unconscious but his breathing is steady, unlaboured. I check his pulse and feel it racing, counteracting the blood loss. He's okay. But not for long. "Hank!" I shout calmly and can soon hear the immense man clambering up into the jet.

The same pain flashes across Hank's face as did fill my mind a moment ago but then I see him also switch into doctor mode and he is soon beside me. He carefully lifts Scott in his arms and we hurry from the Blackbird.

I frown in concern as I see that Anna has collapsed and Logan has caught her, supporting her weary body against his as she passes out. "Bring her." I order and then hurry after Hank towards the infirmary.

I didn't mean for that command to sound so angry. But it did. And I am. I know that this is not Anna's fault but suddenly I hate her. It's irrational and foolish. But it distracts me from the limp body of my beloved in Hank's arms.

XXXXX

We worked quickly, silently. Repairing the severed renal artery and sewing together the shredded muscle. He was fortunate. An inch higher and the bullet would have torn through his lung. As it is he has lost a lot of blood and as I close up the skin with delicate sutures, I look up and see Hank's huge hands squeezing another bag of plasma expander in through the IV line.

Finally the wounds are closed and I gently wash down the bruised skin around the line of sutures. Hank gave Scott a powerful sedative before we began and the infusion of morphine that threads into Scott's hand is preventing him from feeling the pain of what I'm doing. But I'm careful nonetheless, softly dabbing his skin dry.

The repairs complete, we roll him off of his side and his arm flops onto the bed heavily. I know he'll be okay. We have fixed the damage in time and he'll be fine. But I stare down at his lifeless hand and can feel the tears forming.

"Hey …" Hank is quickly beside me and wraps an arm around my shoulders. "Good work, Jean."

I nod in thanks and take a deep breath. Wiping my eyes, I look up at Scott's face and notice the dressings that cover his temples. Hank carefully sewed together the tattered skin while I began to close up the wound in Scott's side. And now that the procedure is over I can feel my medical instincts slipping back and there is an aching in my chest.

I can't deal with this now. I lean down and place a kiss on Scott's clammy forehead and run from the room.

XXXXX

I know that she needs me but I can't face this right now. She stayed unconscious long enough for Hank to examine her and I know that if she ever finds out that he did, she'll hate me. But I just can't cope with all this.

I sit here in the garden and hug my knees to my chest as a chill breeze whips my hair around my face. The professor spoke to Anna briefly when she woke but didn't want to push it. He didn't want to be the one to nudge her over the edge.

The implications of the new information that the professor could gather are frightening. The idea that the government could be funding the project is too scary. I'm no fool. I know it's always been a possibility that the world would move past being afraid of us and simply want to eliminate us. But it doesn't hurt any less.

The only glimmer of hope is that Mystique seemed to swap sides for a moment. I know she was probably motivated by her own self-preservation but for a brief second she was helping us. And I cling to that thought. It is a much nicer idea than the images that have plagued my mind of late.

I hear him approaching long before his footsteps fall on the paving stones that lead from the conservatory and his mind is filled with a confusion that matches my own. But I chose to sit here in quiet contemplation. He has trashed the gym.

I turn to watch him sit beside me on the edge of the lawn and he avoids my tear-stained face as he spreads his legs out before him and leans back on his arms.

"How is he?" Logan eventually asks.

"Stable." I reply. The doctor in me leaping to the fore.

"The professor thinks that this is much bigger than we imagined." He continues softly, gazing out at the garden in the mid-afternoon light.

"I know."

"What do you think?"

"I don't want to." I'm aware of him now turning to look at me but I stare out across the grounds and remain impassive. I am hoping that he'll take the hint in my harsh reply and just leave me alone. I don't want to talk about all this right now. But I suddenly get the feeling that he does and I feel guilty for not recognising his need. I turn to him and see the pain in his dark eyes.

"D'you think …" He clears his throat and shakes his head slowly.

"What?" I move round to face him and reach out to place my hand on his arm. "Logan?"

"What will happen to it, Jean?" Logan asks quietly after a moment and searches my face for an answer. "After it's born."

I give an honest shrug of my shoulders and sigh in dismay. "I haven't thought that far ahead." I reply softly and then something in his face makes my heart race. He has thought about it. He has thought about nothing but this ever since the discovery that the baby had been created from his DNA.

"Will it be normal?" Logan continues, "Will it look …"

He stops himself and I watch in stunned silence as he closes his eyes from the thought. I allow myself to briefly touch his mind and feel a lump rising in my throat. Of course. I should have guessed that he might feel this way. It's only natural. It has been created from his genetic samples. It is part of him.

Logan takes a deep breath and lets it escape through his lips in a long sigh. I open my eyes and watch him staring down at his hands. He has very nice hands. They are slender and soft. But we both know all too well what lies beneath the skin.

"She called it a monster." Logan mutters quietly. "She would do anything to destroy it."

I watch him in wonder, unable to believe that he is talking like this. I knew soon after he arrived at the school that there was more to Logan than fury and claws. And I've seen the protective way that he watches over the children. We have become his pack, his family and we are honoured by that.

"D'you think we can look after it?" Logan asks and lifts his head to look straight into my eyes.

Suddenly I am so jealous of her. I had not thought of her situation this way before. But Logan has. He thinks she is carrying his child. His son. The DNA analysis showed male chromosomes but I've not told anyone that. Hank must have recognised the pattern, too, but he has also kept quiet. Anna flinches when we refer to it as a baby. I know she won't handle us calling it a boy.

And to think I tried to kill it. I helped her in her attempt to destroy the baby. Logan's baby.

"Jean?" He edges closer to me and is watching me in concern.

Oh please don't be so kind, I think to myself. If you ask me if I'm okay I think I'll start howling like a … like a baby.

"Maybe you should get some rest." Logan offers softly and smiles down at me. "You look like shit."

"Thanks!" I laugh in wonder and then realise how good it feels to suddenly be laughing. I stand and follow him back into the house.

I know Logan is right and I should take this chance to get some sleep but I don't think I'll be able to relax. I make my way down to the infirmary and smile as I see Hank sitting beside Scott's bed. He's supposedly keeping watch but has his nose in a book and doesn't even notice my presence in the doorway.

Scott is sleeping soundly and I watch the steady rise and fall of his chest for a moment. The gentle rhythm is soothing and suddenly I want to climb onto the bed and snuggle up close to him. But he needs to rest and recover. And the bed isn't big enough, anyway. I step back from the door and continue my wander through the lower levels.

I'm not really sure where I'm going but I find myself stepping into the hanger and I gaze up at the immense Blackbird. Scott and Hank's pride and joy. Scott spends hours making adjustments to the powerful jet and fine tuning the engines. He loves his motorcycle and his new car kept him tinkering in the garage for weeks. But he adores the jet that he and Hank created.

In the past I have complained about the time he spends with the jet and have whined about him not paying as much attention to me. But I'm so proud of his talent for mechanics and I smile as I remember how very sexy he is after he's been working in the garage or the hanger. And he knows all too well the effect that his sweaty, greasy, fuel scented body has on me. It's why he sometimes delays having a shower. And it has sparked off some amazing sex in the past.

I run my hand along the smooth metal underbelly of the Blackbird and gently press the hidden switch. The ramp descends and I step up into the jet. I know it's stupid but if I can't wrap myself up in his arms for comfort tonight, I can at least be in his presence. And he fills the jet. He has put so much into the Blackbird that it almost feels that a part of him is here.

I settle into one of the seats and draw my legs up underneath me. A sense of calm has fallen on me and I take a deep breath. The air in the jet is heavy with the smell of cleaning fluid and I shudder as I realise that Hank must have had to wash the blood from the floor.

I brush the image from my mind and force myself to calm. It isn't long before I've drifted to sleep.

XXXXX

The professor woke me. He tried to be gentle but I was so far gone that he had to shake me slightly and I came to with a start. I'm still shaking now as I sit in his office and sip at the strong coffee he poured for me. There's nothing worse than being pulled from such a deep sleep and I'm not really listening to him as he chats to me.

"Jean?"

I look up at him with a gasp and then sigh heavily. "I'm sorry, Charles."

The professor guides his chair around his desk and halts it before me. "Are you alright?"

"No." I answer honestly and shrug my shoulders. "I'm at a complete loss, Charles. I don't know what to think or how I should feel about this whole situation."

"Perhaps there is no set reaction for this." Charles offers gently.

I look into his concerned face and shake my head slowly. "I know that what those doctors have done is wrong but … it's been done … and now there's a life on the line. An innocent life."

"I know." The professor sighs, "And what we are supposed to do with that … I just don't know."

For a moment I'm pleased that the professor is as baffled as me by all this but then I realise that if even _he_ doesn't know what to do …

"Perhaps we should rethink the idea of a safe house." The professor continues, "Anna needs to have some sort of a life. We can't keep her locked in here forever. And it's too much of a risk to the children if she stays here."

"But now that the doctor that was heading the research is dead she might be safer." I remind him softly.

"There's no way to be sure of that." He argues softly.

"No." I concede and then shrug my shoulders. "But your contact seemed fairly convinced that the facility where Anna was taken is the only one." I begin to wonder if we ought to destroy the place and I catch the look that flashes across the professor's face and know that he heard that thought. I look down into my coffee and swirl the liquid around the sides of the cup.

"You should talk to Anna. See what she wants to do." The professor suggests.

I can feel myself frowning at the thought of seeing her. It is because of her that Scott is now lying in the infirmary. It is because of her that Logan is so preoccupied with worry. It is because of her that I am in this mess.

"None of this is her fault, Jean."

I look up at the professor and begin to wonder if this is what Scott sometimes complains about. My thoughts are my own. As irrational as they may be. And I want to think them. I want to hate her. It's so much easier than the alternative.

XXXXX

I find her lying in her room and I step inside at her gentle reply to my knocking. She doesn't turn as I walk towards her and I can feel anger welling inside me at her apparent rudeness.

"Is he going to be okay?"

Anna slowly rolls over to face me and she watches me approach. Suddenly I can hear the fear in her thoughts and it is as clear as if she were telling me out loud. It is because she's so very scared. She's projecting her feelings and I think even a non-telepath would be able to read her.

I let myself probe further as I sit down on the edge of the bed beside her and soon I can see her desperately trying to help Scott. She had no idea what to do as he lay bleeding beside her and I realise that I have never before appreciated what that must be like. I'm so calm in a crisis and it feels strange to have my mind filled with panic.

"Jean?" Anna asks timidly. "Is he alright?"

She knows. She knows what he risked to take her from the mansion and she was there when he fought to protect her. She feels guilty for everything that has happened and my heart sinks as I recall how easy I found it to blame her.

"He's fine." I nod and smile thinly. Anna sighs in relief and slowly heaves herself up to slump back against the pillows. "How are you feeling?" I ask gently.

"Like shit." Anna grates.

I nod in understanding and then look down at my hands. The bleeding stopped soon after they returned to the mansion and I know that she is disappointed.

"I'm sorry, Jean."

I look back up at her and frown in confusion at her words.

"I'm sorry that you are going through this." Anna continues and her mouth is trembling as tears well in her eyes. "I'm sorry that I can't accept what has happened … and for asking you to help me." She closes her eyes and her hand instinctively moves to rest on the covers over her abdomen. "Perhaps if I was a stronger person then I could cope with this." She is quiet for a moment and then chuckles slightly as she looks back up at me. "I guess they didn't do their research that well." Anna shrugs.

I edge closer to her and can't find any soothing words to say. Instead I reach out and place my hand over hers.

"I know now that I have to go through this." Anna continues shakily. "But … I can't do it alone."

Suddenly I forget all my reservations and lean forward to gather her in my arms. I can feel her body trembling as she starts to cry and I can't believe that I was so eager to hate her. I hate myself now for having even thought it and I rock her gently, soothing her tears.

She was once one of them. One of the thousands of people that don't understand us. She couldn't see past the claws and the shades and perhaps once she might have backed the bill to contain us. But now she has had part of us forced into her body. She is beginning to see us in a new light. And she needs our help just as much as the children that flock to our door in fear.

"Oh god, Jean!" Anna sobs and clutches me to her desperately. "I'm so confused!"

"I know." I whisper and stroke my fingers through her hair.

"I don't know what to do!"

"Shh …" I rest my cheek against her forehead and squeeze her gently. "We'll get through this together, Anna. I promise."

XXXXX

I sat with Anna while she fell asleep and then my own weariness started to overcome me and now I realise that I've slept for hours here on the sofa in her room. She is resting peacefully in the bed and I yawn wearily as I stand and tiptoe out of the room.

I knew that he was awake long before I reached the door to the infirmary and I smile as I hear him talking with Hank. The door slides open and I smile in greeting as I step inside. He's sitting up in the bed and munching on a chocolate bar. It's probably too soon for him to be eating but I can well imagine the fight that Hank must have had to convince him of that.

"Good evening." Hank offers cheerily and holds up his mug. "You want a coffee?"

"Thanks." I nod and then hurry over to place a kiss on Scott's forehead. "How are you feeling?"

"Probably better than I must look." Scott chuckles softly and glances at the equipment beside him. "But that must be the morphine high."

He does look very pale and tired and I can just see the edge of the dark shadows under the lower rim of his red lenses. I reach up to stroke his dishevelled hair back from his face and he murmurs appreciatively.

I sit down on the chair beside his bed and take the coffee Hank passes to me.

"How's Anna?" Scott asks softly.

I slowly shake my head in reply and sip at my drink.

Scott sighs heavily and lets his head fall back against the pillows.

"One wonders how much more of this that the poor child can take." Hank thinks aloud and stares intently into the remains of his coffee. "Charles is most concerned about her psychological state."

"No shit!" Scott laughs incredulously, "And I don't think any of us could blame her if she blew a fuse or two."

I watch the two of them for a moment and then shrug my shoulders. "On second thought, she seemed okay this afternoon. I think she might be starting to adjust to all this."

"I hope so." Scott mutters gently and gives me a thin smile. "For her sake."

I touch his mind gently and see for a brief moment the laboratory and Anna lying helpless on the examination table. I quickly back off and shake my head involuntarily. I've seen enough of what she has been through. I don't need any more images to disturb my sleep.

"It was horrible." Scott offers softly.

I look into his troubled face and can sense that he knows that I took a quick look for myself.

"D'you think we _can_ help her?"

"Charles is endeavouring to organise a safe house." Hank replies gently and shrugs his immense shoulders. "If the government are truly involved, then I fear we cannot risk harbouring her for too much longer."

I nod in agreement and look back at Scott. That was not what he meant.

"We can listen to her." I suggest softly, "Let her talk through what has happened. The rest of her recovery will take time."

Scott nods slowly. He rests back against the pillows and takes a deep breath, wincing as the movement pulls on his injury.

"I know how much you want to try and help her but … there's not much more we can do." I continue gently.

"I guess." Scott sighs.

I stand from my chair and lean over him to place a kiss on his mouth. "We should let you rest." I watch him smile in agreement and then his glasses dull as he closes his eyes. I glance at Hank and he nods in reassurance.

XXXXX

The warmth of the bathwater is soothing and I slide down the porcelain and under the bubbles. With a sigh, I rest my head back and close my eyes as my arms float in the water beside me.

I can feel myself frowning as my mind wanders and suddenly I'm imagining all that Anna has been through. Not that I need to use my imagination. I've seen it. Felt the pain and torment from all that they did to her.

Bastards.

Responsibilities be dammed. If we ever find out who is behind it all, I think Logan will be the least of their worries.

Thinking about Anna makes me feel so useless. So insignificant. There's only so much we can do for her right now and that frustrates me. What I really want to do is take it all away. And we could. Part of me is tempted to remove all memory of what has happened from her mind. But Charles is right. As much as she hurts right now, she has to work through it.

I know that we have done just about all we can for her and I hope that Charles' idea of a safe house will be the right decision. But Scott has a point. It does feel like we are giving up on her. But I'll never give up.

I let my hands move to my abdomen and gently stroke the soft skin of my stomach, shuddering at the images that flash through my thoughts. Sometimes the nightmares feel like my own and I can understand how they disturb Anna. But I don't know what I would do if it was me that had been kidnapped and impregnated. I can read how Anna has reacted to it all but I don't know how I would cope if my body had been abused and interfered with.

All I do know is that I'll never stop searching for more information on the experiments and who was doing them. And I'll make them pay.


	6. Chapter 6

_Somewhat more mature themes contained in this chapter. And the aftermath of abuse. Caution to the younger readers._

_**ANNA**_

I've been here for almost two weeks now and I'm going crazy. I spend endless hours alone in my room and a few times I've found myself talking to no one. Of course, I'm free to wander the halls but there's only so far that I can go. And somehow seeing the children makes me feel worse. It's not just that I am reminded of the risk to them that my presence here poses. It's more that they make me realise what it is that is growing inside me.

Most of them look normal but I know they're anything but. Jean told me about some of their abilities and explained their mutations. She thought it might help me adjust. All it did was add fuel to my nightmares.

They're getting worse. Last night I woke myself up by screaming and it took an age to clear my mind of the image. A snarling, biting animal clawing it's way out of my abdomen.

Such thoughts should not be in my head and I wonder how long it will be before Jean gives in and prescribes anti-psychotics. But I haven't told her everything. I know she can just tap into to what I'm thinking whenever she likes. And that's why the images only come at night. By day, in her presence, I can somehow block out the thoughts and it is such a relief. When she is near me, the noise in my head is silenced and it is soothing.

I'm now wondering if perhaps she is doing that. I know she can draw images from my thoughts and I wonder if she can take them away completely. The professor can. Jean told me how powerful he is and his abilities are scary. But not as scary as Logan.

And I've managed to avoid him for days now. I wonder if he knows that I'm even trying. Jean is helping me to adjust but he just makes me freak. She has tried to tell me that he is not what he seems but I'm yet to be convinced. And if I stay away from him like this then I guess I never will be.

My stomach begins to growl and I sigh as I climb out of bed. It's mid morning and the mansion is quiet, the children all gathered in the classrooms. I make my way through to the kitchen and decide that I should ask for a fridge and a supply of snacks in my room. It would be much easier to hide then.

I open the fridge and gather together various ingredients for a sandwich. Suddenly I'm reminded of the food my mother cooked for me in my apartment. Well, the food that Mystique cooked for me. Even though her presence there was just an illusion, it had felt so good to have my mother with me. I've thought about contacting her for real but the professor thinks that would be dangerous. For both of us.

I turn back to the table and gasp as I see him standing in the doorway. I almost drop the food in my arms and watch him in fear.

"Anna." He smiles thinly.

I watch as he holds me in his sincere gaze and realise that he is not just passing by. He followed me.

"Can we talk?" Logan asks gently, his frown deepening.

I want to run. I could perhaps make it to the door into the garden and flee into the grounds. But I'm sure he's much faster than me and besides, being chased by him is one of the many repeated images in my nightmares.

"Listen." He steps further into the kitchen and raises his hands in a gesture of calm. "I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to talk."

"What about?" I blurt out suddenly and my heart sinks as I see his eyes move to my abdomen.

"I …" Putting the food down on the table, I am at a loss for words and watch him warily. I begin to wonder what he might do if I yell for help. Or whether the others will then know that I've lost it.

They trust him with their precious students. He can't be that bad.

"Okay." I say quietly, my heart racing. I watch as he nods his thanks and sits down at the table.

"That's quite a snack you're preparing." He offers gently and a smile dances on his lips as he looks down at the cheese, ham and salad that I had gathered.

"I had a craving." I shrug and look away from the amusement in his eyes. Don't laugh at me. I'm only just keeping it together here.

"A healthy one, though." Logan suggests lightly.

Enough with the small talk, I think to myself. Just say what it is you want to say and leave me alone.

Logan is watching me intently and then lets out a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry. This is making you uncomfortable."

No shit. I look up into his troubled face and remember Jean telling me of his powerful instincts. He can probably smell the fear emanating from me. And now I'm really scared.

"I didn't know how to approach you. And Logan seemed the best option."

I frown at him in confusion and then gasp as I see his skin ripple slightly. Enough for me to notice but too quickly for the cameras to detect. She knows that I'm being watched.

"But …" I want to ask how the hell she got into the mansion and where the real Logan is but I suddenly sense that she has little time and I am intrigued as to why she is here.

Scott was not keen to let her go that day. He said she was too dangerous and he did not trust her. But she had saved us both and I persuaded him to let her leave the jet.

I stare in wonder at the exact replica of Logan that is sitting opposite me and I recall seeing her slip out of the open door of the jet. I can remember panicking as the wind howled into the craft and I then watched in amazement as she leapt through the opening and transformed into an eagle as she fell away from us.

She could be anything. Anyone. I know that all too well and I know how frightening that must be for Scott and the others. But I am in awe of her.

"I just wanted to give you this." She reaches into the back pocket of her jeans and holds out the computer disc towards me.

I reach across the table and take the CD from her. My frown deepening as I look at the disc and then back up at her.

"I thought you ought to know. You're the only one."

"What?" I gasp and try to read her troubled expression. "You went back in?"

Mystique nods silently.

"I don't understand."

"It's all there." She nods towards the CD in my hand. "I downloaded as many files as I could find. They've closed the operation down for the time being … to let the dust settle, I guess."

There's a noise in the corridor beyond the kitchen and she stands quickly. I see the fear on her face and wish that these guys would give her a chance. I need to know more. I need to know why she helped them. But footsteps are now approaching fast and I watch as Mystique leaps across the room to open the door. In a moment she has gone and I watch in fascination as the large bird ascends quickly into the sky above the grounds.

"Anna!"

I turn back from the open door and see the real Logan come tearing into the kitchen.

He sniffs the air and hurries across the room. After a moment, content that she has gone, he frowns down at me in concern. "Are you okay?" he demands softly.

I nod a reply and look down at the shiny disc in my hand.

XXXXX

I had not wanted to disturb the lesson that Jean was teaching but Logan insisted and there was no way I was going to argue with him. He was angry that Mystique had somehow managed to surprise him while he worked in the garage. She didn't hurt him badly – she can't, I remind myself – but his pride has been dented. And despite the fact that he was protecting me, angry Logan is just far too scary for me to handle. I'm actually quite relieved when Jean hurries into the corridor and quickly asks me what has happened.

We sit here together in the professor's office and she has opened the files contained on the CD. There's information on the genetic procedure that was used to create the embryos and most of it goes over my head. The data makes no sense to me but Jean is fascinated and she leans in close to the monitor to read about the experiment.

It annoys me. She still sometimes forgets that this is my life that has been ruined. It's more than a research paper in one of her medical journals.

"Sorry." Jean offers quickly and closes the file. "It's important that we know but …" She glances at me and shrugs her shoulders. "I'll read it later."

She opens a new file and there are documents and letters to various companies. They needed specialist equipment and specific drugs. I find it hard to believe that people didn't start questioning what the orders were for. Then I remember that they were working out of a government facility. And then Jean finds some financial figures.

That's how it was kept so quiet. They paid people for their silence. Money is a powerful tool. I should know - I work for a bank.

That bank. My stomach turns as Jean scrolls through the documents and I see a familiar letter heading. She reads the letter in interest and is not seem aware of the colour draining from my face.

"My god …" I mutter under my breath.

"What?" Jean turns to me and sees the tears in my eyes. Her shoulders sink and she turns slowly back towards the screen. "Oh no …"

It makes sense. I found that job too easily. My breathing quickens as the anger builds inside me and I want to smash something. I want to slam my fist into the computer monitor, feel the glass shatter beneath my hand. Make the truth on the screen disappear forever.

"I don't want to see any more." I say quietly and stand from the desk. I walk slowly from the room and can sense that Jean is watching me in concern. I hear her clicking on the mouse button as I reach the door and I let out a heavy sigh. She can search through it as much as she wants. I've had my fill.

"Anna."

I don't want to know what she has found but something in her voice suggests that I ought to. I turn back to see the look on her face and I realise that I know already. The thought occurred to me a few days ago and I shoved it aside along with the rest of my paranoia. My legs are shaking as I return to the desk and edge round to look at the screen.

It's a letter referring to a special project and it authorises the release of certain research documents. It seems simple enough and nothing can be read into the polite official wording of the letter. But then I see the signature at the bottom and I close my eyes to block out the image but it has been burned onto my brain.

Senator Nicholas Bryce-Walker.

Jean had thought that I was going to flip out big time. She stood slowly from her chair and put her arms around me, pulling me close to her and whispering reassurances. I didn't hear her. And not just because I can't hear anything in my right ear. There was nothing. I was numb.

And there is nothing now. I lie here staring up at the ornately coved ivory ceiling and my mind is empty. Where once there was a noisy mix of confusion and fear there is now nothing. It is a strange sensation.

I was angry for a brief moment. Powerfully angry. But what can I do? I am completely alone. I'm here with these people but I'm not part of their world. And they can't help me. My presence here puts them and their school in danger. And I know the professor has made contact with the witness relocation programme. He'll make them believe that I'm a murder witness. They should be here by morning.

Another prison. More hiding. This has gone way beyond my wildest fears and I really can't process any of it any more. It doesn't hurt to think that my father was involved because I don't think about it. I can't.

So once again I'm faced with the certainty that I have only one option left. And this time I'll do it right. They have relaxed around me over the past few days and didn't notice this evening when I slipped a knife into the sleeve of my jumper.

Suddenly I'm standing from the bed and make my way across to the en suite bathroom. My body is numb and my mind blank as I reach behind the toilet cistern and it's still there. I pull down a towel from the rail beside me and use it to conceal the knife as I take it out of its hiding place. I know there's a camera in here and I don't want them to get a head start. I have to be quick. Very quick.

I sit there on the floor by the toilet and muster the courage to do what I have to do. I've sat here before when the nausea was bad and I'm sure they'll think nothing of it. They won't realise what I'm doing until it's too late.

And suddenly I throw the towel aside and lift the knife to my throat. Fast and deep, I remind myself and grip the knife tightly. But as the blade touches my skin I feel the judder within me and I freeze.

It moved.

Now my heart is racing and I sit perfectly still against the wall. After a moment I feel it again and there's no mistaking it. I felt something yesterday like wind bubbling inside me and I thought nothing of it. But this is harder. Clearer. It kicked me.

I've paused for too long now and my courage is fading. Perhaps that's what it wanted. Maybe it's trying to stop me from doing this. I tell myself to stop being stupid – it's just a baby.

But it's no ordinary baby. I realise that the doctors could have blended whatever they liked into the genetic makeup of the baby and wonder if it's telepathic. I can't believe I'm letting myself think such things. And now I realise that my mind is calling it a baby.

Oh fuck. It's too late now. There's definitely no going back. I've gone way past the point at which I could have ended this. As much as I hate this thing within me, my maternal instincts are now screaming at me and I can't believe I'm actually listening.

It's then that the door to my bedroom flies open and suddenly he's there. He grabs my wrist and prizes the knife from my grasp. I'm not fighting him. It's just that I can't move. I've lost it. For real.

And then his arms are around me and he's holding me so tightly. It is as though he is trying to squeeze the hurt and despair from my weary body. And it feels wonderful. I collapse against him and suddenly I'm crying. From somewhere comes to strength to cling to him and I sob into his chest.

He is rocking me gently and his lips press against my forehead as he mutters soothing words. I can't make out what he is saying above the noise of my own howling but slowly I begin to calm. And realise that he is also crying gently.

I lean against him and my sobs start to settle. I then hear someone entering the bathroom beside us and can feel his head nodding gently above me.

"It's okay, Jean." Scott offers quietly. "We're okay."

She tells him that she'll not be far away and I listen to her leave. Scott carefully moves position so he can lean back next to the wall and his arms are still hugging me firmly as I rest against him.

We stay like this for a long while and I am aware of only his steady breathing and his heart thudding quickly. I'm reminded of a similar situation at the laboratory and suddenly I remember the gunshot. I move my hand up from his waist and can feel the thin dressing beneath his t-shirt. He flinches at my touch and I hear his sharp intake of breath. Slowly I sit back from him and frown in concern as I look into his pale face.

"I was with Hank in one of the labs." Scott begins quietly. "We were discussing how to create a mystique-proof security system when we noticed the feed from the camera."

My frown deepens as I realise that he must have run up into the house. And now I notice the beads of sweat on his forehead and how he is breathing harder than I had realised.

"I'll be fine." Scott smiles thinly.

"But …" My voice is dry and I cough hoarsely, my throat sore from crying. "You should be resting."

Scott's smile fades and he shakes his head slowly. "I had to stop you."

I close my eyes and can feel fresh tears flowing down my flushed cheeks. That's the second time he has risked his life for me. And the second time I have failed to end mine.

"Hey …"

I look back up at him and watch in concern as he sits forward and pain flashes across his face. He leans close to me and I hold my breath as he takes my face in his hands.

"Don't give in, Anna."

I gaze into the shimmering red lenses of his glasses and begin to wish that I could see his eyes. All I can see is my own reflection and my heart sinks as I see the anger and despair in my tired face. And I feel bad that I am looking at him with such hate in my eyes.

For a moment I am mesmerised by the faint rippling of energy that dances behind the quartz lenses and the beauty of the barely visible patterns. Then I recall the power of the blast that was unleashed in the laboratory when he tore off his glasses. And I remember that he was there. He understands.

Jean has shared the memories of the abuse I have suffered and she has seen what I have been through. She knows what has happened to me in the past. Scott was there. He saw the room, heard the doctors touching me, and smelled the acidic disinfectant that burns your throat. And the sudden realisation that I am not alone is powerful.

It feels right that he should be this close to me and I realise that his touch does not make me want to vomit. He moves further towards me and I can't believe that I am so calm. I close my eyes as his lips meet mine and I feel his warm breath on my skin. His mouth gently moves against mine and his touch is so tender. After a moment he pulls away slightly and then rests his forehead against mine and lets out a heavy sigh.

"What was that for?" I whisper after a moment but I don't need an answer. It was the only way that he knew how to reassure me and it makes sense. I reach up and place my hands over his and feel the peace that washes over me.

He needed to get through the barriers that I have created. He had to break through the pain and anger somehow and I wonder if he knows that he has done so much more. I know that the scars that I bear from being abused are going to take a long time to fade. But he can see past them. He sees me. And he sees the strength that I thought had abandoned me.

After a few minutes he pulls away and slowly gets to his feet. I watch him in concern as he gradually straightens up and he grimaces as his hand goes to his injured side. He takes a second to catch his breath and then offers me his hand to help me stand.

I follow him into the bedroom and can feel the panic that rises somewhere deep inside me as he leads me to the bed but then I realise that there is no need to worry. I am safe here with him and I make no protest as he helps me climb under the sheets.

Scott walks round to sit on the bed beside me and then slowly edges down to roll up behind me. He wraps one arm around my waist and rests his cheek against the back of my neck. I lean back against him as he reaches up his other hand and I murmur in contentment as he begins to stroke my hair.

At any other time this might be sensual. His body is pressed against mine and I can feel his chest moving as he breathes heavily beside me. His gentle touch is almost tender and I realise that if he wanted to move his hands over my body that I would welcome it. I can imagine his slender fingers stroking my swollen breasts, tracing the dark pregnancy line that joins my navel to the dark hair between my legs. I feel a welcome, long forgotten warmth deep inside me as I wonder what it would be like to feel his fingers searching, stroking, massaging. My heart is racing and I close my fists around the sheets as I allow myself to envision him moving against me, pulsing within me.

But this moment is not about intimacy and slowly the images fade. He will not be the one that makes love to me and proves that it is possible for me to feel anything but assaulted. Perhaps if he was not involved with Jean then he might have been but it is impossible and I don't resent him for that. I admire his commitment. And I love him for showing me that this is possible.

It will be a long time before I can trust anyone other than him to be this close to me but I know now that it will happen some day. For the first time since this nightmare began I can actually imagine something of a future for myself and fresh tears begin to fall.

He pulls me even closer to him as he feels me crying and I lace my fingers through his. But these are happy tears. Blissful, sweet, happy tears. And as I give in to the weariness and drift off to sleep, I realise that I am smiling.

XXXXX

The car came to collect me the following morning. Both Logan and the professor ensured that the two FBI officers were exactly who they claimed to be and searched the dark sedan for tracking devices or bugs. Once satisfied that they were genuine, they watched in silence as I climbed into the back seat. It took a moment for the professor to link with the minds of the officers and delicately altered their memories.

I am Emily and I am going to testify against the mob. That will ensure the utmost protection and I have faith that I will be safe. A faith that I found in Scott's arms.

I look up through the darkened glass of the bulletproof window and see him smiling warmly down at me. As we sat together at breakfast early this morning, I managed to find the words to thank him for all that he has done for me and he simply nodded in reassurance. I look past him at the mansion and hope that Jean has changed her mind and will appear to wave goodbye. But the open front entrance is empty and I sigh in dismay.

She thinks they have failed me. She knows that I do not want to leave them and she wishes that she could do more. But I sense that she knows what Scott and I shared last night. And I know that she will never question it. She has no idea how much that means.

I gave Scott a note to give to her in case she didn't feel able to see me leave. Thank you seems so insufficient but I hope she understands what I am trying to say.

The car slowly begins to move away down the drive and I take a last look at the people who have at last become my friends. I wish that there was time to get to know them more but it's too dangerous. For all of us.

Logan gave me a small transmitter that I have pinned inside my jacket. He said I'm to keep it on me at all times. If ever I need them, I can signal them with the device and they'll find me. I am touched by his concern and I appreciate the gesture. But despite the comfort the transmitter gives me, I'm sure that I'll never use it.

As we drive through the front gates and the mansion is no longer in sight, I settle back against the seat and let out a heavy sigh. I don't know where I'm going or what will happen but I don't feel scared. I have no idea what will happen as the baby continues to grow or what the child will be like. I hope that Jean and the professor can find some answers and ensure that the project has been terminated for good. There are so many unanswered questions and the future is unclear but there is a new strength within me and I know I can face whatever comes my way.

I have to. For the sake of my son.


	7. Chapter 7

_**EMILY**_

The house seems empty as I make my way down to the kitchen and then I hear the highlights of last night's football playing softly in the lounge. I don't know why he is watching the edited playback when we watched the game live last night but I guess this is what obsession necessitates.

I smile as I step into the lounge and he turns to look up at me. He waves a greeting and then his attention returns to the game. I shake my head slowly and resume my mission to find some breakfast. The coffee he prepared a while ago is still warm and I pour myself a cupful and place it in the microwave for a brief blast. The dishes from last evening's supper are still sitting on the draining board and I sigh as I open the dishwasher and begin to load the crockery into the drawer.

I don't really mind clearing up after him. It's the least I can do. I have begun to take for granted all that he has given up for me and I know I must not let that happen. For both our sakes.

It's easy to grow complacent with the daily routines that we have sunk into and the security of the seemingly normal life that we share. And that is the entire purpose. To everyone else we are simply a happy couple living our happy existence. And the illusion has to be kept intact.

But as I stand and close the dishwasher, I glance out of the kitchen window and see the van that sits across the street. I take a deep breath and rub my aching back as for a moment I let myself see past the image we have created here.

The microwave bleeps to remind me that it finished heating my coffee a few minutes ago and I am torn from my thoughts. Grabbing my drink and a handful of cookies from the tin on the kitchen table, I wander back through to the lounge.

The sports programme is concluding now and he picks up the remote to switch off the television. He yawns loudly and stretches his arms above his head before turning towards me.

"What have you got planned for today?" He asks in interest.

I shrug my shoulders and munch on my cookies. "Do a second coat in the nursery." I mumble between mouthfuls.

He nods thoughtfully. "Didn't you need to get some more paint from the hardware store?"

"Yeah." I confirm and watch him frown as he considers this. It seems perfectly normal and anyone watching would not think anything was unusual about the conversation we are having. But I know he is mentally planning our trip. Deciding on the safest route. Reminding himself to tell his colleagues our movements well in advance.

Even after all this time, he cannot let his guard slip for even a moment. And for a brief second I feel a flutter of fear somewhere within me. It passes as quickly as it arose and I take a deep breath as I watch him smile warmly at me.

"I'll go take a shower, then." He offers cheerily and stands from the sofa.

It would not feel strange for him to plant a kiss on my cheek as he moves past me but we have not sunk that far into the illusion. I listen to him gallop up the stairs and hear him muttering softly. But he's not talking to himself. He's letting the agents that keep watch from the van know that he will be leaving me unguarded for a short time.

It was hard at first and I can remember how miserable I felt when we arrived at the safe house. I had been moved from one prison to another and had a new group of strangers surrounding me. But I soon found that the one that had drawn the short straw and was given the task of spending every moment by my side was actually a nice man.

I'm sure Matt had found the whole set up as weird and uncomfortable as I had at the beginning. But he was able to focus on the task and simply played out the role that he had been assigned. That had made things even harder for a time. And then he had relaxed.

Or gave the impression that he had. I know that, in truth, he never relaxes. His years of training have honed him into an expert guard. Aware of every detail of every moment with me, he is always watching, anticipating. It was disconcerting for a while but now it simply feels safe.

I listen to the sound of him turning on the shower and chuckle to myself as I hear him humming contentedly. This really does feel normal. As if we've lived together forever. We have a lot in common and have become good friends. Unless that's simply part of the image. I know that he can't afford to let himself get too close and risk letting his guard down for even a split second. And I don't think even he could get through the barriers that I have created.

My heart skips as suddenly my mind is filled with the memory of the only person who managed to slip past my defences. I lean back against the sofa and close my eyes as I remember being held by Scott.

And my chest aches as I am reminded of the worst part of all this. I miss him. And although I have thought about him less and less as the weeks have gone by, it doesn't make the yearning for his touch any less potent.

Matt doesn't know the horrors that I have been through. He has heard me crying in my sleep on a number of nights and has offered me the chance to talk about my nightmares. But I have stuck to the story that the professor created and simply shrug and tell him that I am haunted by the mob hit that I am supposed to have witnessed. The lie that the professor planted into the minds of my guardians and was then spread through the network of agents.

I saw the professor on the news a few weeks ago. He was attending a genetics conference in Washington with Jean and I saw them entering the office building. My heart was racing as I looked past the image of the reporter that was being filmed and saw the two of them joining the other delegates inside. I had hoped that perhaps Scott would be with them and had longed to see him, if only for a brief moment. But it seemed that Jean and the professor were alone. It made sense. They could blend in with the doctors and scientists unnoticed.

I don't know if the experiments that were conducted on me have been brought to light. If they have then it has been very quietly. I've searched the Internet practically every day for even the slightest hint of an investigation into the project I was involved in. But even the geeks on the conspiracy websites make no mention of any of it.

I want to believe that I was the only subject in the experiment but somehow I know that it's not possible. Despite having seen most of the information that Mystique stole from the warehouse, I know that the doctors will not have invested so much time and money to risk it all on one trial. And I wonder if Jean has found any more answers.

Suddenly the life form inside me starts wriggling vigorously and I smile in wonder as I look down and see the movement beneath my pyjamas. I place my hand on the immense bulge that extends from within me and feel feet kicking against my palm.

"Hey little buddy." I mutter softly and then feel the baby begin to calm. I chuckle to myself as I wonder what sparked off that flurry of activity. It is the strangest sensation and sometimes is uncomfortable, especially at two in the morning when I'm propped on my side amongst my nest of pillows and want to rest.

I hear the noise of the shower stop and I take a deep breath before heaving myself from the sofa and slowly climb the stairs. Matt smiles merrily at me as he emerges half dressed and then wanders into his bedroom. I pad into the steam filled bathroom and pick up the wet towel that he has left in a heap on the floor. It really is easy to believe the illusion that we have created here.

XXXXX

California was a good idea. I know I had to be far enough away from New York to be safe but was glad that the warm weather of the west coast was included in the deal. I'm sitting here now on the soft pale sand of the beach that lies just a few hundred yards from the house and sigh contentedly as I watch the people that play around me.

It feels a little strange that the shops are filled with thanksgiving paraphernalia when it's over 80 degrees in the bright sunshine but the cloudless blue sky above the ocean is glorious and I am smiling happily.

"Good afternoon, Emily."

I turn at the familiar voice and see my next-door neighbour plodding through the sand towards me. "Hey, Maggie." I wave and my smile grows as she reaches me and carefully sits down beside me.

She is as ungainly as me as she sinks heavily onto the sand and she laughs at herself. "Getting down here is the easy part." Maggie offers merrily.

"Matt's around somewhere," I shrug, "He can haul us both up." I chuckle in amusement and glance behind me to see Matt buying a bottle of water from the vendor on the sidewalk. It seems silly to be paying for what he could so easily run across the road and get from the tap at home. But it's not our money he's wasting. And he can't go too far from me.

Matt jogs back over to me and hands me the bottle that he has already taken a long gulp from. I nod my thanks and take a sip of water. We share everything together. How can anyone not believe the image that we project?

Maggie is completely convinced. She looks from me to my pretend husband and I can see her smile grow. She was delighted when we moved in a few months ago and has made it her mission to look after us. And we let her think that she is. She retired to the coast with her husband six months before we arrived here but he had a stroke a few weeks after they moved in and is all but chair bound. Maggie came round to say hello the day we got here and ensured an endless supply of tea and cookies for us and the agents that posed as removal men.

I took to Maggie immediately. And that is a new thing for me. Her family visit her often but she is struggling to cope with Don on her own and when the community nurses arrive to help him wash or tuck him into bed she often seizes the opportunity to escape for a short while.

"How's Don today?" I ask gently and see the sadness that flashes across her face.

"Good." Maggie smiles bravely. "He is looking forward to kicking your ass again at chess sometime soon."

I laugh softly and nod in agreement, remembering how surprised I was that the seemingly frail Don was so mentally alert. He might not be able to form coherent speech and the entire left side of his body is limp and lifeless but he is as bright as he ever was. And that seems cruel. It must be so hard for him and equally difficult for Maggie to be with him.

"I'm baking muffins again, tonight." Maggie offers and grins up at Matt.

"Ooh!" Matt enthuses.

I turn to see him rubbing his stomach eagerly and I shake my head in dismay. "Oh Maggie, you shouldn't spoil him!"

"Nonsense!" Maggie defends, "I'm making sure he's well fed so he has the strength to look after you and the baby." She smiles and winks at me. "Seeing as he'll be doing all the night feeds and diaper changes."

I can feel my smile falter for a moment and suddenly I feel bad for lying to this kind woman. And now I'm wondering if Matt really will help me when the baby arrives. I haven't thought that far ahead.

"I guess it could be any day now." Maggie continues cheerfully and looks back up at Matt. "I take it, you've planned your route to the hospital."

Matt laughs softly and avoids my concerned gaze as he nods in reply. "The bags are in the boot of the car and the tank is full of gas."

I listen to them laughing together and Maggie starts to reminisce about how Don panicked each time she went into labour with their three children. She has told us this before and I don't mind listening to her stories. But suddenly my mind is racing and I can feel panic rising within me. I really have no idea what will happen when the baby arrives. Will we stay here in this illusion with Matt and his team of agents? Perhaps I'll be safe then and can move on.

Now I feel angry that this was never prepared for. Charles shipped me out of the school and never told me what to do with the child that will soon be born. I had hoped that perhaps he would try to contact me. I can't believe that someone with his power cannot track me down and suddenly I feel abandoned. And alone.

The beach is starting to become crowded now that the schools have ended for the day and I am aware of Matt getting agitated as people surround us.

"We should go." Matt suggests quietly, "You've got your painting to finish."

"Oh! Is the nursery nearly ready?" Maggie enthuses.

I nod in reply and brush my concerns to the back of my mind. "You must come by to have a look."

"Absolutely!" Maggie smiles.

"You can see it when you bring the muffins over." Matt grins.

I gasp at his cheek and then smile up at him. He stoops to help me struggle to my feet and then gallantly hurries to also assist Maggie.

"Thank you kind sir." Maggie laughs as he steadies her gently and then the three of us start back up the beach.

As we reach the road, I notice the car that is pulling up behind Matt's on the drive and I glance at him nervously. I see that his hand is hovering over the slight bulge in his shirt that is the gun tucked into his trousers.

"Are we expecting anyone today?" Matt wonders aloud, for the benefit of the surveillance team in the van opposite the house.

We pause there at the edge of the road, seemingly to wait for a gap in the traffic before we cross the street, and I know he is listening to his colleagues speaking through the tiny receiver in his ear.

I watch the driver's door of the car open and my heart is racing. I can sense Matt tensing in readiness and I'm sure he's going to start shooting at any moment. Then I see the woman that climbs from the car and I sigh in relief. "It's the doctor!" I blurt out quickly and turn to smile at Matt. "Remember, she said she would come today, honey."

Matt is still distracted by the voices in his earpiece and he frowns down at me in concern. "It's not her car, though." He mutters softly.

I glance at Maggie and am pleased to see that she is oblivious to our panic and is starting to cross the now quiet road. We follow her cautiously and Matt takes my arm as he reaches under his shirt and grasps the handle of his gun.

"Hey there!" The doctor has seen us approaching her and waves in greeting as she moves round to the trunk of the car. "Sorry I'm late."

My head is swimming as she inserts her key into the lock and I'm sure that Matt is going to open fire and ask questions later.

"My car is being serviced and I had to wait for my husband to get home so I could borrow his." The doctor is chattering merrily.

Matt relaxes a little beside me but still has hold of my arm and I know that his colleagues in the van are ready to pounce. I watch as the doctor takes her bag of equipment from the car and closes the trunk lid.

"So." She turns to face me and smiles warmly. "How are you today?"

"Fine." I return her smile and finally let out the breath that I was holding as Matt stands down.

It was Matt who decided that it would be safer for someone to come to the house and check that the pregnancy was going okay. He said it was easier to contain. I remember shuddering at the implications of his words and now I'm shaking as I realise how close to shooting the doctor he had just come.

He has now hurried into the kitchen to get her a drink and he seems as relieved as me that she is not the assassin or whatever it was that he had imagined.

"You look well." Claire offers and sits down beside me on the sofa.

I nod slightly and hand her the wad of paperwork that documents the progress of my pregnancy. Endless accounts of how well I'm doing and how normal everything seems to be. They have no idea.

I then notice that Claire is watching me in concern and for some reason it's making me uncomfortable. I've met her many times before but I don't know her. "I'm sorry that we seemed shocked to see you." I offer quickly, "I totally forgot that you were coming today."

"Don't worry." Claire shrugs, "I'm here now."

I hold my breath as she leans towards me and places her hand on my arm. I don't like being touched. She knows this. She picked up on it when she first met me. She started to probe that day and asked about my relationship with Matt. It would have been so easy to tell her.

"I've found you." Claire continues in a whisper. "And that's all that matters."

I can feel the lump that has risen in my throat as suddenly I know. I see the brief flash of bright orange in her eyes that confirms what I have guessed and my heart is racing again. They have been looking for me.

I want to throw my arms around her and hold her tightly. And I don't want her to ever leave. I can't speak and I can see in her face that she understands.

She sits back from me quickly as Matt wanders back into the lounge to join us and places a glass of lemonade on the table before her. We then work through how the pregnancy is going and it amuses me that she is not quite sure what to say. She stumbles for a moment with how to work the handheld ultrasound probe but Matt doesn't seem to notice any of the mistakes she is making. And I love her for doing this.

She falters for a second as the three of us listen to the rapid rhythm of the baby's heartbeat that is projected from the speaker of the probe. Her back is to Matt and she holds my gaze for a long moment. I think the reality of all this is affecting her more than she had expected it to. I'll have to tell the professor and the others that they've got her all wrong.

"I'm glad that you're doing so well." She offers and smiles thinly.

I see the look in her eyes and try to remain calm. She's going to tell them that she has found me.

"I guess I'll see you next week, then." I say quietly.

She nods and begins to clear away her equipment into her bag. Sitting back on the sofa, she adds a brief comment in my notes to continue the pretence and then thanks Matt for her drink. She sips at her lemonade slowly and I can sense that she does not want to leave any more than I want to let her go.

"Well." She finishes her drink and smiles warmly. "You've got the numbers for the hospital. Call if you need us."

"I will." I agree and then watch her stand. I know she could easily overcome Matt and take out the guards that would storm into the house. But she hasn't come here for that. She has just come to make contact. That fact alone tells me that she has spoken to the professor and, as disappointed as I am that this is not a rescue, I understand.

XXXXX

Matt thinks I'm continuing with my painting. I can hear him busying himself in the kitchen preparing dinner and I smile as I listen to the familiar sounds of the home that we have created. I am sure that I have hidden here for long enough. It must be safe for me to go back now.

I sit here cross-legged on the floor of the nursery and let the tears fall. I had resigned myself to the probability that I would never go back to the school. Never see Scott again. But now I am consumed by a need to be back there.

And not just for my sake. My son is going to need their guidance. We were foolish to have decided that it would be better this way.

"Hey …"

Matt's sudden presence at the door startles me and before I have realised what is happening he has crossed the room and is hugging me gently.

"What's wrong?" He leans back from me and sees that I have been crying for some time.

"Matt …" I reach up and touch his face. "Can we go for a walk?"

"Now?" He looks out at the dark evening and frowns in concern. "It's not safe."

"We need only wander across to the beach." I urge softly, "I just need some air." I watch him considering my request and weighing up the risks. "There are enough of you guys to watch over me."

"Okay." Matt stands slowly and holds out his hand to help me to my feet. "Just a short walk, then."

And it was short. We walked across the street to the beach and now sit here on the sand. The evening is fading fast and the lights from the road behind us dance on the water. The noise of the waves lapping the shore a small distance away is soothing and we listen in silence.

At least, that's what the surveillance team will think. The truth is that I have smoothed out an area of sand and have written what I want to say on the ground before us. I stare down at the words that briefly spell out the truth of my situation and cannot begin to imagine what Matt must be thinking.

Slowly he tears his eyes from the message and frowns at me in horror. After a moment he shakes his head in disbelief and then points to one of the words in the sand.

_Mutant_.

I nod slowly and look down at the pregnant swelling beneath my jumper. I hear his soft gasp and wonder for one horrible second whether I have made a mistake. Cautiously I look back up at him and see the concern in his eyes. He then stretches out his hand to wipe away the words and writes his own in the smooth sand.

_Mob? Testify?_

I read the words and shake my head in dismay, seeing his shoulders sag as he looks out over the sea and tries to take in what I'm telling him. I continue the message and wait for him to look back down.

_Government. Danger._

Matt swallows hard as he reads and then replies. _Why?_

I shrug my shoulders and cannot help but laugh softly. He should have more clue than me – he works for the bastards. _Sorry. _I write quickly.

_How? _He writes after a moment.

I look into his face and his frown has deepened. He points to his head and I understand what he is asking. _Mind control._

Now he begins to laugh but his smile fades as he sees the sincerity in my eyes. _Fuck._ He scribbles.

We sit still together for a long moment until he takes a deep breath and reaches out toward the sand.

_What we do?_

_Doctor help. _I answer and see the smile on his lips as he nods gently. He knew there was something up with her today.

_OK. _He writes and then sighs heavily. He smiles thinly and watches me for a moment. _Thank you._ He adds.

I link my arm through his and rest my head against his shoulder. And there we stay. Until we hear Maggie calling out to us and Matt jumps eagerly to his feet as he remembers about the muffins.

XXXXX

I love the beach. I think these past few months would have been unbearable if I didn't have this. I wander along the shoreline and look down at the low surf that splashes around my feet. The chill of the water is soothing on the stretched skin of my swollen ankles and my toes sink into the soft sand.

The beach is quiet in the mornings and this has become an occasional ritual. I'm aware of Matt following close behind me and he gently coughs when I've walked to the edge of the range of his colleagues in the van. When we go out in the car they follow us but it would look suspicious if they crawled along the edge of the road at the top of the beach. I turn back and retrace my steps.

Matt has not asked anything more about what I told him last night and I'm beginning to wonder if he really believed me. Or if he called his superiors and told them I've lost the plot. But maybe he just needs time to absorb it.

My musing is then interrupted as suddenly a young dog bounds over to me. Matt is beside me in an instant and this somehow amuses me. He smiles down at the dog and shrugs his shoulders slightly. I turn back to see the dog watching me eagerly and I lean down to stroke its head.

"Anna?"

I jump at the voice and look up slowly to watch the apparent owners of the dog jogging towards me. Now Matt is really tense and steps closer. I am glad for his protection and then see the couple that approaches and my heart jumps. "Wade?"

"Hey there!" Wade is laughing as he continues quickly up to me. "My god! Anna! I can't believe it!"

I glance at Matt and smile in reassurance. I turn back to Wade and he leans forward to place a kiss on my cheek.

"Anna!" Wade laughs again.

I nod in equal delight and then turn to Matt. "Matt, this is my old boss from New York. Wade, this is my husband."

"Husband?" Wade gasps and then his attention goes to my swollen abdomen. "Well … congratulations!" He stammers and smiles at me in wonder as he shakes Matt's hand. "We were so worried about you, Anna. No one knew why you had disappeared." Wade glances again at Matt and shrugs his shoulders. "But I'm glad you had a good reason to go." He suddenly remembers the woman standing beside him and turns to her to smile coyly. "Sorry! Anna, this is my sister, Kara."

I shake Kara's hand and she smiles in greeting. "Well. What brings you here?" I ask Wade.

"Our grandparents live a few miles up the coast. We came down for thanksgiving and decided to take the mutt for a walk." Wade indicates the dog that is watching us all in interest. "We saw this beach on the way through last night and thought we'd come back. This is so freaky!" Wade enthuses.

We watch each other for a moment and I want to ask him into the house for coffee but I don't know if Matt will think that's a good idea. And now I suddenly remember the files that Mystique stole and that the bank funded the experiment. I can't believe I had forgotten that. Now I find myself edging back towards Matt.

"Well, it was good to see you." I conclude gently. "Happy thanksgiving."

A slight frown of confusion crosses Wade's face and he glances at Matt. I don't care if he thinks I'm rude. I don't really mind what he thinks of me. I can just feel the panic growing inside me and I want to run. I would if I wasn't eight months pregnant.

"Okay." Wade shrugs. "It was good to see you. I'm glad you're alright."

"I am." I confirm and manage a warm smile. "Good to see you, too."

Wade and his sister continue on their walk along the beach and he looks back at me once or twice.

"What was that all about?" Matt asks after a moment and follows me back up the beach towards our house. "Anna?"

I spin back to face him and see the concern in his eyes, suddenly realising the mistake of revealing my real name. But of course, they would expect me to be using a different name.

I look across at the figures disappearing along the beach and shake my head. "I don't know, Matt. I just don't know." I turn back to him and then look past him to the silver van behind him.

"It's okay, Anna." Matt offers gently and then a smile crosses his mouth. "That suits you better than Emily."

I look into his eyes and my heart is pounding in my ears. "Please don't do this." I whisper softly and I can see in his hurt expression that he knows what I mean. He mustn't start to believe the deception. He has to keep his focus.

Matt nods slowly and waits for me to continue on towards the house. He follows me in silence and I know I've hurt his feelings but I had to stop him falling for me.

XXXXX

I've waited all day for a sign. Hoping that Mystique would somehow contact me again and tell me what the hell I am supposed to do. I had thought that she might have written something in my pregnancy notes but I could read nothing into the simple comment she scribbled. I wish I had a number to call or some way of contacting her. And then I remember her parting comment yesterday and I climb out of bed.

Matt is still awake and the light from the television flashes around the dark lounge. I watch him for a moment as he gazes at the images on the screen and think perhaps I ought to risk talking to him. I wonder if he has said anything about what I told him to his colleagues and if it would be okay to tell him more.

With a sigh I grab my pregnancy record from the table inside the lounge door and then wander into the kitchen. I dial the number for the obstetric unit at the hospital and listen to the ringing tone. I'm hoping that this is what she meant; that my call will be redirected and one of them will pick up the phone.

It's then that I get my sign. But not quite what I wanted. The surveillance van has exploded.

XXXXX

The force of the explosion blew in the windows at the front of the house. Intense heat and shards of glass were hurled at me and I was thrown onto the floor of the kitchen. An eerie silence then followed and I was aware only of my rapid breaths echoing in the kitchen.

Then all hell broke loose. I heard Matt yelling my name and hoped he had caught my frightened reply. I lifted my head and was sure I saw him hurrying through the hall towards me. But then the gunfire started and he was gone.

I don't know how many people our attackers must have thought were inside the house but they riddled the windows and walls with bullets from automatic weapons and the noise was terrifying. It seemed an age before the firing ceased and I stayed curled up under the kitchen table. I listened to pieces of masonry and glass falling and heard the roaring of the flaming van.

Then I hear them on the front porch and the crunching of glass under heavy boots. And Matt is suddenly beside me. As I begin to sit up, he puts his finger over his lips and shakes his head in warning. His face is covered in blood from the many cuts where glass has shredded his skin but he ignores my concern and begins to quickly look over my body. Satisfied that I also am uninjured but for superficial grazes, he signals for me to stay where I am.

And he's gone. I huddle under the table in fear and close my eyes. I don't know how he crept outside to the front of the house so stealthily and so quickly but I can hear his gun fire as he picks off the invaders one by one.

There were only seven of them. But they had surprise on their side. No longer. Matt is now alert and acutely aware of every detail in the wrecked house and surrounding grounds. He hurries back into the kitchen and his breathing is heavy as he crouches beside me.

"We have to get out of here!" Matt whispers harshly and takes my hand.

"Where?" I demand.

"To the rendezvous point." Matt answers simply and pulls me out from under the table. He forces me to keep low and begins to lead me across the kitchen.

We step outside into the garden and Matt drags me across to the shadow of the side fence. Making our way along the outer edge of the garden and then quickly into the uncovered area that joins the front lawns, Matt quickly scans the road and the beach for signs of further threat. He decides it is safe to make a dash for the parked cars but I can't move.

Matt turns back to me with a worried frown and then follows my gaze to see what I have seen.

Maggie.

She must have stepped outside to see what was going on. Or perhaps she tried to warn us. I shake my hand free of Matt's grasp and hurry across to where she is laying beside her front porch.

"Anna!" Matt hisses a warning under his breath and quickly pursues me. "We have to get out of here!"

I don't hear him. I'm not listening. I can't focus on anything but the body of my friend lying awkwardly on the grass. She has been shot in the head. Her eyes stare blankly up at the night sky and the only damage seems to be the tiny whole in the centre of her forehead. Then I see the dark patch that glistens on the lawn around her head and I gag. I cover my mouth with my hand and can feel my stomach heaving.

"Come on!" Matt insists and grabs my shoulder.

I flinch at his touch and close my eyes, sagging forward onto the grass beside Maggie. Suddenly I remember Don and I get to my feet. I start towards their house and gasp as Matt suddenly grabs my arm and yanks me back from the porch.

"No! Anna!" He husks against my ear. "You can't help them. We have to leave!"

I strain against him but then see that the front door has been forced open and there are mud tracks leading into the house. I want to scream. Tears well in my eyes and I want to yell and shout. But then Matt's words finally get through to me and I fall against him.

"Please, Anna. We have to get out of here." Matt whispers gently.

I nod and turn to follow him towards the cars. Then I remember the transmitter and suddenly I've spun back and I'm running back into our house.

"Anna!" Matt warns angrily.

I run through the kitchen, nearly slipping over on the shattered glass that tears at my socks. Hurtling into the hall, I fling open the cupboard door and pull out my jacket.

"Anna!" Matt calls as he hurries after me. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"It's in here somewhere – I know it is!" I explain quickly.

"What is?" Matt sighs angrily, "Anna – I'm not fucking joking! We seriously have to get the fuck out of here!" He steps closer to me and then suddenly freezes.

And my heart jolts as I hear it too.

Sirens.

"Anna!"

Matt grabs my arm and drags me away from the cupboard. I stumble after him, still fumbling with the collar of my jacket. And I find it. I can't help but whoop in delight as my fingers close around the tiny device and I press the centre button hard.

I'm being hauled out of the house and through to the back garden as the transmitter lights up and I know they'll hear the signal. I clutch the device tightly in my fist and stumble along behind Matt. We make it to the end of the back garden as the patrol cars skid to a halt on the road in front of the house.

Matt somehow lifts me up high enough to get a good grip of the wooden back fence and I don't know how but manage to scramble over. I lower myself down carefully but the landing is still fierce and I take a moment to catch my breath. My sides ache from running and my abdomen is tense. I look up to see Matt grabbing the top of the fence and he pulls himself up over the top as I then hear the police officers shout their warning.

There's a single shot as Matt heaves himself over the fence and I watch in fear as he drops down beside me. He lands hard on his back and I can hear him gasping for breath. He must have winded himself as he landed. I hurry over to him and he reaches out for me, clutching at my arms as he struggles to take in air.

And then I see it. Blood pouring from the hole in his neck.

"No!" I press both hands over the wound and my fingers slide amid the warm blood. The liquid is thudding hard against my skin and I am clueless when it comes to anatomy. But I know enough to know this is not good.

"Anna …" Matt gurgles and coughs hard, blood splattering from his mouth. He closes his eyes and blood bubbles from the hole in his neck as he groans weakly. "Anna … go …"

"No." I shake my head defiantly and tears are clouding my vision. Which is a good thing as the sight of him dying before me is making me feel faint.

"POLICE!"

I ignore the officers that come tearing towards me from both ends of the short alleyway and continue to look into Matt's pale face. He opens his eyes and they are filled with pain. I know he can see how scared I am but he also must realise that I'm not going to leave him. And he smiles weakly. As his face then relaxes, I can sense the tension leaving his body and the thudding under my hands is slowing.

"It's okay, ma'am!" One of the police officers has walked up beside me and I can see her gun poised warily before her. "You're safe now."

I frown in confusion and then remember the gun that Matt still has in his grasp and I shake my head in dismay. "He was protecting me!" I look up at the stern faces of the officers that surround me and can feel my tears beginning to fall. "He's FBI!" I shout suddenly, a sob catching in my throat. "He was helping me and you fucking shot him!" I turn to the female officer beside me and see that she has not relaxed her poise. "He's FBI." I repeat quietly. "And you've killed him."

The officers seem to relax a little at this and can see for themselves in the light from the street lamp that Matt is not breathing. The female officer beside me lowers her gun but keeps it cocked as she moves closer to me.

"Okay, ma'am. Please. Let us get you to safety."

I suddenly realise that they must know about the witness protection scam that was in place here. Of course, they would have to be informed in case of a situation such as this arising. They must think that the mob has tried to take out the witness that I am supposed to be. They believe the illusion.

There are more sirens approaching now and recognise their different tone. The officer beside me gently places her hand on my shoulder and I'm too tired to shrug her off.

"Come on. You need medical attention." She offers softly.

I don't want to leave Matt. I know he's gone but somewhere deep inside me is the irrational thought that maybe he'll suddenly come back to life.

"Please, ma'am."

Satisfied that Matt is no threat, some of the officers begin to wander back round to the front of the house to begin their investigation into what has happened here. I put up no resistance as the female officer takes my arm and helps me to my feet and my legs are shaking as I let her lead me round to one of the ambulances.

"Hey there." The paramedic hurries towards us and helps me step up inside the ambulance. He sits me down on the side of the stretcher and frowns in concern as he examines the cuts on my face and arms. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"

It takes a minute for his question to register in my confused mind and I shake my head as I look up into his gentle face. I stare at him for a moment and wait for the tell tale orange glow that will tell me that it's her. It never comes and I look down at my hands. And the sticky blood that covers them.

"What's your name, honey?"

I swallow back the lump in my throat and take a deep breath. "Emily."

"Okay, Emily. I just need to check your blood pressure." The paramedic wraps the cuff around my arm and then continues to gently examine me for further injuries.

Something about being touched with his gloved hands makes me want to scream but I haven't the strength. I let him do his job and cannot take my eyes away from the dark matter that is drying on my fingers. This is the second time that I've had the blood of someone special on my hands.

"How pregnant are you, Emily?"

"35 weeks." I reply quietly and close my eyes as I realise that I had actually forgotten about my baby for a time. My hands now move to my pregnancy and I can feel him moving slowly within me. I then frown as I feel the tension under my pyjamas and realise that the bump is becoming tight. It's done this several times over the past few weeks and I remember Claire telling me that it was normal. Practice contractions or something. They are not painful and the tightness in my abdomen now does not hurt.

"You okay?" The paramedic asks softly.

It's a stupid question but I know what he means and I nod wearily.

"Come on. Swing your feet up and have a lie down." The young man helps me roll onto my side and covers me with a blanket.

I clutch the soft material close around me and close my eyes. It would be so easily to fall asleep and try to forget all that has happened. I then hear the paramedic talking with a man that has approached the back of the ambulance and I open my eyes.

"Emily?" The greying man raises his eyebrows expectantly. As I nod slowly he climbs up into the ambulance and perches on the chair opposite me. "My name is Detective Desota." He smiles thinly, "I just wanted to assure you that we know about your situation. We'll have you moved to another secure location in just a second but wanted to ask a few questions first." He watches me for a moment and then glances back out at the charred remains of the van and the bullet-ridden house beyond.

"Do you know who they were?" I ask timidly.

He nods and then shrugs his shoulders. "And that's what I don't get." He sighs, "They were FBI."

"What?" I sit up quickly and stare at him in horror. "But the van - "

"Was empty."

I close my eyes and sink back against the pillows. Suddenly I know what has happened. The surveillance team heard what I told Matt. They came to destroy the evidence. They came for me.

And I realise that this is why the police shot Matt. They must have quickly determined who was attacking the house and then when they saw him dragging me through the garden...

And then I remember Maggie. Killing her made no sense. Unless you didn't want any witnesses. I glance out of the ambulance and see the police officers emerging from the house on the other side of ours. I don't really know the other neighbours that well. But they too have been murdered because they might have known me.

"Have you any idea why they attacked you, Emily?"

Absolutely, I think to myself. But I'm not going to tell you.

"Emily. If there's something you're not telling me …" He pauses for a moment. "People have put their lives at risk to hide you … and now my men are about to do the same."

Not for long, the voice inside my head replies. I feel a calmness wash over me as I imagine him already tracing the signal. He'll be here soon. And then suddenly I remember. Somewhere during my struggle over the fence and amid the chaos that erupted as I watched Matt die, I dropped the transmitter.

My heart sinks and there's a fuzzy ringing in my ears that is familiar. I'm going to faint. The detective is still asking me about the attack but I'm not listening. The dizziness has past and now my weary head is becoming full of determination. My son kicks inside me again and the movement was all I needed to help make my mind up. We are alone. Completely alone. And I have to save us. I just don't know quite how.

The detective sighs in dismay and decides to give up trying to talk to me. My eyes are closed but I can hear him leave and the ambulance rocks as the paramedic steps back up inside. I can then hear the engine start and the driver calls back to his colleague to close the door.

"Where are you taking me?" I ask quietly as I look up at the paramedic and watch him locking the back door securely.

"The police will escort us to the hospital so you can be checked over properly." The young man replies and smiles in reassurance as he sits down on the chair beside the stretcher. "And then they'll take you wherever they feel is the safest."

Somehow, I doubt that will be anywhere near New York and I swallow hard. I'm all I've got now.

XXXXX

The paramedic must think that I've fallen asleep. He's dimmed the interior lights and speaks in a low whisper to the driver through the partition. But I'm not asleep. Far from it. My mind is racing and I'm trying to think of a way to escape. It's not going to be easy while the ambulance is moving and then there's the police escort. I open my eyes and can see the flicker of colour that flashes behind the frosted glass of the back door. The police are very close behind us. Even if I could get the door open, if I jumped from the back of the ambulance I'd be under the wheels of the patrol car in an instant.

I'll have to wait until the ambulance stops. But they won't let me go unless I've got currency to bargain with. I'll have to use the paramedic as a hostage. Now I'm glancing around at the equipment that I can see in the cupboards above and beside me. I've almost got a plan formed, involving oxygen tubing and a pair of sharp scissors. But then the ambulance swerves violently and I'm flung against the windows.

XXXXX

It takes me a moment to realise that we have tipped over. I'm dazed and my head is throbbing. I must have hit it against the shelves beside the bed. And now I'm slumped against the straps that secured me to the stretcher and the side of the ambulance has become the floor. I struggle to twist my arm up and around to release the buckle of the strap across my chest and then reach down for the strap across my hips.

I had panicked when the paramedic first strapped me in but he had insisted that all patients had to be secured for transport. And now I'm glad for his persistence. Had I not have been strapped in then I would have been tossed around inside the ambulance as he had been. And he is now lying worryingly still beside me and makes no sound as I release the last strap over my legs and fall against him as I roll off of the stretcher. I then freeze as the handle of the back door turns and the door flops open heavily onto the ground.

"Hey, Baz! You okay? Baz!" the driver calls through the opening. He quickly clambers inside and checks on the paramedic. "Oh shit!" The driver sighs and then turns to me. "And you? You okay?"

I shake my head and then begin to make my way carefully across the line of cupboards. "What happened?"

"The front tyre blew." The driver replies gruffly and I can see tears welling in his eyes as he regards the still form of his colleague.

I can now hear police surrounding the ambulance and they shout to us to get out quickly while the coast is clear. I follow the driver from the ambulance and frown in concern as I see the police milling around the crashed ambulance worriedly, their guns aimed into the darkness of the trees on either side of the road.

"Quickly!" An officer grabs my arm and begins to lead me hurriedly towards a nearby patrol car. I look back at the ambulance and see what has spooked the police. A bullet hole in the door above the wheel where the first shot missed. I don't recall hearing shots fired and begin to understand the alarm this has caused. A sniper with a silencer. An ambush.

"Hodges!" The officer says quickly into the radio clipped to his shoulder. "I'll get her out in my car. Is back up en route?" He listens to the reply as he steps up his pace and drags me quickly towards the black and white. "Okay, Hodges, I'll - "

I gasp as the officer suddenly stops walking and is now staring at me in confusion and surprise. I then see in the light from the car headlights that dark blood is trickling down his face from the small hole in his temple. Shrugging his hand from my arm, I watch in horror as he silently slumps forward onto the ground. And now I can hear a quiet high-pitched squeak coming from somewhere behind me and the police begin to fire wildly into the trees. I sink to my knees and my body is trembling in fear as the police are picked off one at a time and soon all of the officers are lying still in the road.

Somehow I guessed that I wasn't the target here but that is of no reassurance. If the gunman doesn't want me dead, then I can guess who might be behind the attack and I'm not surprised as I see the soldiers that now emerge from their hiding places amid the trees.

The four of them had covered the road from both sides and now watch me warily as they approach. One of them then unclips a radio from his belt and declares that the mission is complete and they have me in custody.

I couldn't stand right now even if they held a rifle to my head but the soldiers seem content to simply stand guard as I sit here on my heels and try to fathom what has happened. I look up as I hear the car that approaches and my mind is racing as the doors open. I'm trying to develop a new plan of escape but somehow I don't think that is an option. Not now. Not ever. But despite this, I'm feeling so calm. Perhaps I knew that this was inevitable. And it is no surprise as Wade steps out of the car and smiles down at me.


	8. Chapter 8

**_SCOTT_**

I'm so angry that my whole body is trembling. I've sat here for a while and tried to calm myself down but it's not easy.

I knew something was up. I could tell when I wandered into the bedroom last evening. She had been talking with the professor for over three hours and I know it's serious. I may not be telepathic but I know Jean.

Of course, she would not tell me what was troubling her. Not until I had pursued the issue to the point where she got so annoyed with me that she told me purely just to shut me up. And that pisses me off. If I'm troubled by something and she feels she has to know, all she has to do is read my thoughts. To be fair, she doesn't do that often and I respect her ethics in that regard but still I feel vulnerable sometimes. I can't simply pull her worries from her mind and have to watch the pain in her face and try to understand. Have to stand back and watch my lover suffer.

And it makes me mad that she was right. She didn't want to tell me what they had been discussing. And I heard her shouting that she had told me just as much as I stormed out of the bedroom.

I couldn't decide what to do at first. I considered doing a few rounds in the danger room but that's old. Predictable. She'd come and find me and give me that 'see, I know best' look. And then I realised that I didn't, in fact, want to be anywhere near any of them right now. I wanted to get out of the school full stop.

So I charged through the house to the garage, glad that no one had stepped into my path, and climbed into my car. And once clear of the drive, I pressed my foot to the floor and let her go. If there's one thing that is guaranteed to make me feel better at times like this, it's speed. And my car is very fast. But I've pushed her almost too far tonight.

I sit here now in a lay-by somewhere off the main highway and begin to wonder if it is now anger or fear that is making me tremble.

I am a good driver but tonight I was too furious. The sensible side of me is now chiding me for being so irresponsible but there's also a part of me that so enjoyed the rush of scaring myself. I drove too fast through the quiet country roads and without Jean's powers to steady the car I felt the glide of tyres skidding. I nearly lost control on that last corner but I'm sensible enough to know that means it's time to pull over.

I can't believe they didn't tell me.

Mystique has found her.

I don't get it. I never quite understood why she had to leave the school in the first place. We've hidden people before and we're more than capable of defending us and our children from whatever fool that decides to try their luck.

Of course, I put on a brave face the day that she left. All reassuring smiles and encouraging words. When inside I was furious. I spent the rest of that day in a fowl temper and Jean was sensible enough to keep her distance. It's rare that I lose control. So level headed and fucking sensible all the time. But when I do lose it, I do it in style.

I watched her leave that day and was filled with an overwhelming regret for all that we could not do for her. Or would not try to do for her. I know Jean felt the same but she had quickly adapted to the decision. It took me a few weeks to get over how they had sent her away from me.

And that's the hardest part. I reached her. Even Jean and Charles with their combined experience in psychology and powerful telepathy couldn't really get through to her. But I had. They had skimmed the surface and thought they knew her. Thought they could decide what was best for her.

I know that she trusted Jean and the two of them had reached some sort of understanding. But that was to be expected after all the time that had they spent together. And it's not that I don't appreciate how much Jean did for her. She took on some of her pain, for god's sake. She somehow absorbed some of the burden of the awful memories and I am still in awe for the strength that took.

But as I lay awake next to my beloved and listened to someone else's nightmares disturbing her sleep, I began to understand. I started to see what Anna had been through. And I wanted to tear apart with my bare hands every bastard that had ever touched her.

But as much as I wanted to, I couldn't tell Anna that. She feared me. Not because of who I am but what I am. A man. And it was strangely refreshing to be frightened of for some other reason than the fact that I can level a skyscraper with a look.

It hurt that she would go out of her way to avoid me. Avoid all of us. And when she looked at me her eyes would be filled with such hate. Not towards me but nonetheless painful.

I've felt that way before. We all have at some point in our lives. And it's a powerful hate that can lead you one of two ways. You deal with it and move on, use it to your advantage. Or you bury yourself in it. And become absorbed in nothing but your desire for revenge.

And Anna was not coping with it. Jean was confident that she would eventually move on but I had seen something in Anna that frightened me. A hollowness that I knew could not lead to anything good.

That was why I offered to take her out of the school for a time. She was becoming agitated in the prison that we had created for her and she needed to breathe. How was I to know that Mystique had planted that idea in my head? It terrified me to think that she had been such a convincing copy of the woman I thought I knew so very well. And she had used me to get to Anna.

I don't care that she helped us escape the laboratory. If Anna had not pleaded so urgently that we should let her go I would have taken her back to the mansion and let Logan do all the things he so often threatens. And I'd probably watch.

This really isn't helping. The idea of driving out here was to make the anger go away. But it's getting worse. And my heart is racing hard. I grip the steering wheel tightly and my jaw has been clenched for so long that my cheeks ache.

"Fuck …" I sigh loudly into the empty car and lean forward to rest my head on the steering wheel. I take a deep breath and close my eyes as I try once more to calm myself.

There's no point in speaking to the professor. He thinks she is safer wherever she is than with us. And he is worried about the children. It's his call and I have to respect his decision. As fucked up as his reasoning may be.

He and Jean have been following up on the experiments that had been taking place and it seems that the programme has folded. But they have no way of confirming whether Anna was the only one. There might be other children that have been created by those bastards and I can't begin to imagine what will happen to them.

At least they will have the advantage of being born with their abilities. No terrifying day will come when suddenly their mutations kick in. But what if it is obvious that they are different. I can't bear the thought of how they will be received. The idea that tiny children will be locked away for good is just too cruel. And Jean found evidence that suggests that there are some powerful people who want to ensure that all evidence of the whole thing is destroyed.

God, what is Charles thinking? He needs to find them. We should look after them. Protect them. We can't abandon them to whatever the humans will do to them.

Now I sound like Magneto. Oh god, I dread to think what would happen if he was ever able to get to them. That's it. I have to make Charles see sense. I sit up and reach for the keys to turn the ignition. Guiding the car back onto the main road I turn the wheel sharply and head back towards the mansion.

I had driven further than I had realised and it's quite a way back to the school. But I'm not going to race home. I'm actually enjoying the drive through the empty countryside and peer out at the bare trees that flash past in the headlights. There's enough moonlight to help guide me along the winding roads and the remains of yesterday's snow flurry helps to define the soft verges. It's a clear night and not the best conditions to go speeding in. There could have been a patch of ice anywhere.

Shit, I'm so fucking responsible. Okay, so my position at the school means I have to be a good role model but it annoys me that I'm so damned sensible. I'm sure there must be things that I've missed out on because I decided against taking a chance.

That's why Logan and I are so very different. He does not seem to have any reservations about anything. He'll jump right into a situation and work out whether he should have afterwards. He runs on pure impulse and instinct 24/7 and I wonder if perhaps I would feel the same if I knew that nothing could hurt me.

He and I have been talking lately. And that's a big thing. We never have conversations. Unless you count our idle threats and heated arguments. But we have actually spoken and I feel bad that we have taken so long to get to know each other. When it comes to Logan I've always been so sure that there was not a lot to know. But just recently I've seen past the violence and attitude.

It had been one night after I had been pleading with Charles again to rethink his decision to take Anna in. I had stormed from his office and slammed the door. It had felt good and I had added a few choice expletives under my breath as I walked away. And nearly collided with Logan in the hallway. I don't know if he's ever seen me lose my temper and it pissed me off that he was suddenly smiling at me in amusement. I was about to walk past him when I then saw something beyond his grin and it startled me. Logan had been crying.

_"You all right?"_ I had asked.

_"No, I'm half left."_ Logan had snorted in reply but his smile had then faded as he realised that he had been rumbled.

_"Fine."_ I had shrugged and continued past him.

_"Hey - " he had called after me and then seemed uncomfortable as I turned back to look at him._

_"It's okay, Logan." I sighed, "I'll not tell anyone that you might actually give a shit about something." I had read him wrong and it was a cruel thing to say. I waited for his come back but instead he just hung his head and walked away. And before I knew it I was hurrying after him to apologise and guilt tore through me as I saw how sad he looked._

It made sense. He couldn't stop thinking about the child that had been created from him. And suddenly we were comrades in our frustration. We agreed that Anna should have stayed and tried to think of ways of finding her. But the witness protection programme was good. It had to be. And somehow I think Charles has helped to ensure that it is completely foolproof.

But still we tried. Accessing the powerful computers in the lower levels to try and search for her. We had to be sneaky to avoid being lectured by Hank or Jean and we grumbled together and were almost buddies. We had a common concern. Even though he was worrying about the baby and I couldn't stop thinking about the mother.

For a few days after she had left I had actually thought that she had been taken away because of me. It was irrational and it had grown out of the guilt I had felt for what I hadn't actually done. But I had wanted to.

I still don't know if Jean knows about the night I spent with Anna. I know she sensed that Anna needed to be comforted and she understood that, for her own healing, it had to be by me. She needed to be desensitised. Just like the work that is done with people with extreme phobias, it had to be proved to her that she could be close to a man again. At least, that's how Jean explained it. It was an empty, clinical explanation for a moment that was filled with such tenderness.

And that is what troubles me. I adore Jean; she is my everything and she knows that there is nothing that could ever change how much I adore her. But if Anna had asked me to make love to her that night I know that I would not have declined.

She was full of so much pain and hurt and I could sense that I could somehow help her see through it all. She had cringed at my touch at first but had slowly surrendered and soon she had emanated nothing but a powerful need to be with me. And I had wanted to do so much more than just hold her. But I had been afraid of hurting her, frightened that if I went too far that she would revert to staying the hell away from me.

But we had made a connection. It had started after we had escaped the laboratory together. The pain of the bullet wounds dominates my memory of that journey and the images are unclear but I can remember Anna staying close to me and trying to help me, despite her own terror. She saved my life that day and I was able to return the favour.

I can't begin to understand what it must be like to feel that the only solution is suicide. It's something that I know I would never even contemplate and that is because I have too much to live for. There are too many people that would be hurt by losing me and that is a comforting thought. But Anna did not have that. Perhaps she considered once that we might be concerned for her but she did not know how much we cared. How much I cared. And I knew I had to show her.

My heart is racing as I turn in through the ornate front gates and roll slowly up the drive. I left here full of such anger and was hoping to return calm and controlled. But now I need a cold shower and maybe I'll have to do something about how hard thinking of that night has made me.

I pull into the garage and switch off the engine. Climbing from the car, I sigh heavily and wander towards the main house. I'm about to switch off the garage lights and reset the security alarms when Logan bursts through the door and almost knocks me flying.

"Shit!" I cry out in alarm and frown at him in annoyance.

"I'm sorry." Logan begins breathlessly, "I've found Anna."

"What?" I gasp and my heart is racing as he nods and a smile dances on his mouth. "How?" I demand eagerly.

"She activated the transmitter I gave her."

"The _what_?"

Logan shrugs his shoulders, "I gave her one of the emergency pins that Hank designed. Figured she might need it."

I laugh in wonder and begin to follow him up into the house. "Wait!" I gasp suddenly, "She might be in trouble."

"I know." Logan calls back as he continues to hurry down the hallway towards the elevator to the lower levels.

I race after him and see the determination on his worried face.

"That's why I've readied the jet." Logan smiles.

Ever since Anna and I had been abducted in the jet, Hank has upgraded the security system but even he hadn't considered the possibility that Logan would simply punch through the wall and sever the power cables. This has triggered the lockdown procedure in the hanger and the roof doors have sealed themselves. Or thought they had. I pull on my gloves as we step into the hanger and look up at the thick steel that blocks our exit. With a sigh I switch my visor onto wide beam and in a moment the doors have exploded outwards and I can see the night sky through the immense hole.

"The professor is going to be pissed." I mumble as I follow Logan up into the jet.

"And you give a shit?" Logan counters as he settles into the co-pilot's seat.

I shrug my shoulders and climb into the chair beside him. The alarm started a few moments ago and now the whole house will be awake. I punch a few commands into the console before me and hear the engines rumble into life beneath us.

_Scott. Don't do this._

Her voice is loud inside my mind and I pause for a second. I turn to Logan and see the scowl on his face. He heard her too. How does she do that? I watch as he looks up at me and there is that bloody-minded determination. Only I'm siding with him this time. And I guide the jet up through the basketball court.

We're moving faster than the speed of sound but still it feels unbearably slow. Out of the sight of radar, we soar through the night sky and both sit here in silence. There is only the bleeping of the tracking device disturbing the stillness of the cockpit but the expressions on our worried faces must speak volumes. I glance at Logan and see the frown of determination and anger that crosses his brow. We should never have let her go.

Another loud signal then bursts into life on the console and I swallow hard as we both ignore the sound. We switched off the comm. soon after leaving East Coast air space but they have tried to contact us every few minutes ever since. We don't have to answer but the sound of them making efforts to reach us is annoying. As much trouble as it would cause, I would not complain if Logan drove a claw through the console and shut the signal off.

"You think they'll come after us?"

Logan's husky voice is loud in the cockpit suddenly and I flinch slightly. I look over at him and take a deep breath. They may well have launched the other jet and I'm wondering if perhaps he had been right in his suggestion to disable it.

"You think …?" Logan sighs heavily as he trails off and decides not to ask any more questions. Whether he has sensed that I don't want to talk, or guessed that I don't have any answers I'm not sure. But we continue the flight in silence.

The signal from the transmitter went crazy a few moments ago and my heart is racing as we swoop down low over the row of houses that line the beachfront road. With the jet in whisper mode, we make our silent descent and I lower the ramp. Logan glances at me briefly before hurrying from the plane and jumping down onto the soft sand below us.

"_There's been some action here_." Logan reports gruffly through the comm. "_And a black and white is guarding the place. Or what's left of it_."

I steer the jet up over the street and switch the camera that is housed in the underbelly to heat seeker mode. Now I can see Logan's white image darting past the police guard and slipping into the house.

"_There's nothing left_." Logan reports in a whisper and it's strange to hear him sniffing the air. Suddenly he shoots outside again and races through the garden to leap over the back fence. "_Oh shit _…"

"What?" I ask quickly, my voice echoing around me.

"_Blood. Lots of it_." Logan replies softly.

"Shit …" I hiss and close my eyes.

"_And I've found the transmitter_."

I slump back against my seat and reach under my visor to pinch my nose with gloved fingers hand. I can feel a mother of a headache coming on but somehow I don't think this one is due to the optic blasts.

"_Wait!_" Logan says suddenly.

I can hear the slight edge of excitement in his voice and my pulse is now racing.

"_There are different tracks here _…"

I can see Logan on the monitor, pacing around in the alley as he takes in every detail. He's an amazing tracker and I am reminded how fortunate we are that he's on our side. Something that took me a while to admit to.

"_She was here … I can smell her … but I think … yeah! She was led away from the scene_."

Now Logan has skirted the outer wall and ran back towards the front of the house. I watch as he crouches down low and creeps past the patrol car.

"_There are two … three sets of tyre scuffs_." Logan continues in a whisper. "_The police or the paramedics must have her_."

I breathe a sigh of relief and head the jet back out towards a quiet area of the beach. I drop down as low as I dare to, this close to the road and the houses beyond, but I know Logan can make the distance. And soon I hear steel claws snaring the bottom edge of the ramp. I'm tuning in to the police band as Logan heaves himself up into the jet and sinks breathlessly into the chair beside me.

"They headed west." Logan declares gruffly.

I nod and steer the jet in that direction as the garbled chatter of the police band echoes loudly around us.

"_Unit 33 Victor requesting back up. We're under fire! Repeat. We are under fire!_"

We both freeze and then slowly look up at each other.

"_Roger, 33 Victor. Please state your position_."

The jet picks up speed as I guide us towards the area that is being described on the police band. For a second, I'm hoping that this is a different disturbance but then the frightened officer says the key words that I was praying we would not hear. Convoy. Ambulance down. Soldiers. Then we can hear the noise of semi-automatic weapons and the transmission ends.

By the time I had found a secluded spot in the wood next to the road and safely landed the jet, Logan was already on the scene. I now make my way through the trees and step cautiously onto the road. Logan may not have to worry about being fired upon but I do and the memory of a bullet tearing painfully through flesh is reminding me to be cautious, despite the protection of my uniform. I skirt the edge of the scene and stare in horror at the bullet-ridden patrol cars and the bodies that litter the road.

And there are a lot of them. Police officers and soldiers lay still on the asphalt. It doesn't seem real. It looks like a frame from one of the action movies that the kids watch. Only this has added extras; the smell of fuel and rubber burning under the hood of one of the patrol cars and the shattered glass that crunches under my boots.

Logan is standing beside the overturned ambulance that is flanked by abandoned police cars. One of the crew is lying face down on the road, the back of his head glistening in the patrol car lights. The other I can just make out amid the mess of equipment inside the ambulance.

"She was definitely here." Logan mutters under his breath.

He turns to look at me as I near him and the blinking blue police strobes light up the anger and dismay on his face. I want to ask him what he thinks has happened to her, but I can work it out for myself. The police have been targeted with frightening precision and I can see the laser guided weapons that some of the soldiers are still holding. Matched with what we heard on the police band, it's easy to see what has happened.

But why the soldiers have been shot does not make sense. I frown suddenly and wander closer to two of the fallen army personnel. Their bodies are riddled with bullets and this must have been the semi-automatic gunfire that we heard. I begin to move around the scene and then suddenly see the black limousine that is parked on the other side of the ambulance.

"There's just some suit and a few guards." Logan calls out after me.

I continue on towards the car and see the plain-clothed men that lay scattered around the open doors of the car. I don't recognise any of them and the one lying furthest from the car has been shot so many times that I'm not even sure if the mess of blood, flesh and bone ever was a human face. I crouch down beside the body and gingerly reach into his jacket. Pulling out his wallet, I search for anything that might tell me who he used to be. Flicking through money and credit cards, I find a name that means nothing to me and ID photographs that I assume must be his. But then I find a business card and something about the name of the bank is familiar.

"Who was he?"

I hadn't heard Logan approach and I gasp slightly as I turn to see him standing behind me. "I don't know."

"We should get back in the jet and do an aerial sweep. Whoever took her couldn't have gotten too far yet."

I nod in agreement and stand slowly. I know we're too late and I'm beginning to realise that we'll never find her now. But if Logan wants to keep looking then we'll keep looking. I know how futile it would be to try and argue with him now.

Suddenly there is a noise nearby and we both freeze. I turn to Logan and he nods slightly. Somebody coughed. Someone is alive. After a moment we hear it again and Logan is quickly moving towards the sound. I follow close behind him and see the police officer that is slowly coming round.

"Easy …" Logan soothes gently and kneels down beside the woman. "Help is on the way. Lie still."

I'm struck for a moment by the tenderness in his voice and I watch in silence as he tears off one of his gloves to take the woman's hand in his. I feel guilty for having assumed that he was not capable of such kindness and then suddenly I realise that Jean has experienced this side of him. And my heart is racing as jealousy surges through me. I shake the thought from my mind, angry at myself for being so selfish at a time like this.

Moving closer, I crouch down beside Logan and force a thin smile to my lips as the police officer looks up at me. I glance down her body and see the dark patch that is spreading across the centre of her uniform. God knows how she is still alive with such a precise wound but she is breathing shallowly and seems determined to stay with us.

"What happened here?" Logan asks softly.

Perhaps we should let her concentrate on simply breathing and questions can be asked once the approaching back up gets here. But I want to know as much as Logan and I wait for her to answer. When she does speak, we both hear the rattle in her chest and the gurgling of blood in her throat and it makes me feel sick.

"Ambush …" She manages to whisper. "Soldiers … men came … took witness …"

Logan glances back at me and I can see that he knows what I have also guessed. The 'witness' is Anna. We were too late.

"She …" The police officer suddenly starts coughing and for a moment her wet hacking seems like it will never end. Then slowly she calms and shakes her head as she looks back up at us. "She went crazy … she killed them … killed them all …"

My heart slams against my chest and I grab Logan's arm. Anna did this? Anna killed the soldiers and the men in the car?

"Where did she go?" Logan demands and gently nudges the police officer's shoulder. He groans in dismay as the woman's head then lulls to the side and she has stopped breathing.

"Shit!" I hiss angrily and quickly get to my feet. I can hear the sirens that are only minutes away and I search the scene wildly, looking for any clue that might show what has happened to Anna.

"Maybe there was another car." Logan suggests softly and walks up beside me. "She's not here. We should - "

I don't know what had happened, whether the wind had changed direction and he had picked up her scent, or whether he had suddenly spotted the soldiers that lay amid the trees at the side of the road, but Logan was suddenly running into the woods and I followed.

We charge through the bushes and between the trees. There are more bodies amid the underbrush and I nearly trip over one of them. I'm still running after Logan and have managed to regain my balance when suddenly he turns back and hurls himself at me. The breath is forced from my lungs as he tackles me to the ground and falls heavily on top of me. And then the firing starts. A quick burst of weapons fire that Logan had somehow anticipated.

After a moment the noise ends abruptly and I push Logan off of me. I want to sit up and try to catch my breath but Logan is holding me down out of range of the bullets. I slowly take in air and my chest is aching from being rugby tackled by Logan's metal-laced body. I watch as Logan carefully rolls onto his knees and edges closer to the thick base of a nearby tree. He shelters behind the trunk and peers around the edge.

With my heart pounding in my ears, I crawl across the fallen leaves and make my way over to him. Away from the lights of the police cars, the wood is dark but I can make out Logan frowning as he tries to see who or what is firing at us. I know he can hear that someone is there and he has much better eyesight than most but he sighs in annoyance and sits back against the tree.

My heart is racing as I then begin to peer around the edge of the trunk and I feel Logan's hand on my shoulder, ready to pull me back out of harm's way if the shooting starts. I may not be able to take a bullet without worrying but I do have something that he doesn't. Infrared sensors in my visor. And I can see her clearly, slumped against a tree about fifty metres from us.

"Anna?" I call softly. I don't want to alert the police officers that are arriving at the scene back up on the road but I want her to hear that it's my voice. "Anna, it's me – Scott."

There's no reply and I don't know what to make of this. Anna is not moving and I'm beginning to wonder if it was her that was shooting at us. I glance back at Logan and he shrugs his shoulders. For a moment I consider using him as a shield and simply going over to her but if she does fire then the police will hear the noise. Suddenly Logan gets to his feet and I realise that he has decided to chance walking towards her again.

"Anna!" I call out, a little louder this time. "Listen, I'm here with Logan. We've come to help you." I peer around the trunk and now see her moving. Logan has stepped out from behind the tree and I watch in horror as I see her pick something up from the floor and suddenly she is aiming towards us. She can't be able to see clearly in the dimness of the wood but she can hear movement. My heart sinks as I hear the click of her pulling the trigger but that's all there is, a click. The gun is empty and now I can hear her crying in fear. I'm on my feet in an instant and intend to charge past Logan to get to her. But now I see the movement in the trees a short way from us and I stand still as the lights from the soldiers' guns dazzle me.

"Logan!" I hiss in warning but he has already heard the soldiers approaching and now moves back to stand beside me. I glance at him and see the anger in his face that matches my own. We should have been more cautious.

Anna's crying is becoming more desperate and her sobs catch in her dry throat. I can hear the clicking of her repeated efforts to try and fire the empty gun and I clench my fists as I glare angrily at the soldiers.

"Who the _hell_ are you!" The lead soldier has walked right up to us and is using the light on his gun to stare at our flushed faces. The light then passes down our uniforms and I hear him grunt in recognition.

The professor's contact warned us a few months ago that intelligence about our operation had slowly begun to appear in some government circles and the press have managed to obtain a few obscure images of us. It is inevitable that we would be discovered at some point but why did it have to be now.

"Whatever." The soldier sighs loudly at our apparent intention to remain quiet and uncooperative. "I don't really give a shit." He continues and steps back from us. "We're only interested in the woman." He flashes his light towards Anna and this causes her to gasp in fear. "Get in the way," The soldier glances back at us and smiles thinly. "And I'll shoot you."

I look beyond this apparent leader to the four soldiers standing behind him amid the trees and wonder where they must have been concealed. I then curse myself for my own naivety; these are the bodies that we galloped over. Not dead but in hiding. Now I'm wondering why they did not shoot us while they had the chance. And a shudder passes through me. They couldn't get to Anna. She was armed and they couldn't approach. But they thought maybe we could. And we have done exactly as they had hoped and led them right to her.

"Stay away!" Anna is shouting angrily, trying to sound brave but the fear in her voice is clear to all of us.

I turn to Logan and see the tension in his body. There's no way he's going to obey the orders we've been given and I feel adrenaline surge through me in anticipation of his move. I hold my breath, ready to quickly reach up and switch on the beam from my visor or simply pull the thing from my eyes and blast everything before me – the soldiers, the trees, maybe the cars beyond the wood – to hell.

It seems an age before Logan does move but it can only have been a few seconds because the lead soldier has only just moved past us towards Anna. The soldiers are fast and the gunfire started the moment Logan first flinched but he has leapt clear of the bullets and I hear the scream of the lead soldier as suddenly six sharp claws sink through his bullet proof vest and bury themselves into his chest, aided by the force of Logan's weight as he hurls himself onto him.

I lift my hand towards my visor and manage to get off one blast before the force of bullets slamming into my chest sends me flying backwards and I hit the tree hard. Unable to breathe and my head spinning from being thumped against the bark, I sink to my knees and feel the darkness that now surrounds me.

After a moment I start to regain my senses and am aware of the soldiers shouting angrily. Logan is mad with rage and I hear the angry growl that is his reply to their warnings. Then suddenly someone is standing beside me and I feel the cold hard metal of the gun barrel pressing into my temple.

"Get up!"

I believe the threat that laces the command but I can't stand. I still haven't yet managed to take a breath and dizzy lights are dancing in front of my eyes. It feels like a weight is pushing down on my chest and I can do nothing but stay here on my hands and knees on the ground. Then suddenly I inhale and the breath is forced instantly from me with a groan of pain. Oh god, that hurts. My hand moves over my chest and my gloved fingers search for any damage to my uniform. But the Kevlar of my suit has prevented any of the bullets from tearing into flesh and I realise that it is the bruising from the impact that I can feel. The impact that must have broken a few ribs, for I take another breath and pain tears through my chest.

"Scott!"

I lift my head and Logan is highlighted in the torchlight as all guns are suddenly trained on him. All guns except the one that is now pressed harder into my head and I watch Logan stay obediently still, his claws sliding back into his hands.

"Police! Freeze!" Comes a sudden order from somewhere beyond the trees and I look over to see the officers that are now stepping cautiously into the woods.

"No! Wait!" Logan shouts loudly but his warning is too late.

I close my eyes as the three soldiers turn and sweep a barrage of bullets through the trees. In an instant the six police officers are down and an eerie silence falls around us.

"Now." The soldier that has his gun still pressed against my head sighs in annoyance and steps back from me a little. "We just want the girl."

I close my eyes as I sense the four soldiers move past Logan and I can hear Anna crying desperately. Somehow I push myself up to sit back on my heels and force my breathing to calm. If I take shallow breaths then the pain of my cracked ribs is not so bad and slowly I turn to look up at Logan. Anna has grown quiet now and I guess she must have surrendered to the fact that there is nothing we can do. But there's no way I'm giving her up without a fight and I glare at Logan angrily. I know he probably can't see my face but I continue to glare anyhow. I can't believe he's letting them take her.

Slowly I try to stand and the effort sends new pain shooting across my chest. I groan in annoyance and look back up at Logan. And see him shaking his head in warning. I watch him in confusion and then gasp as he drops to the floor beside me. Gasping was not a good plan. I clutch at my chest and collapse to the ground. And then the shooting starts.

Anna must have crawled forward and grabbed the gun dropped by the soldier that Logan had killed. Soon all four of our remaining attackers have slumped to the ground and lay still. But Anna is still firing. I can hear bullets sinking into the softer branches of the trees or ricocheting off thick bark. And I can hear her screaming in fury and terror. And suddenly I have no doubt that it was her that piled endless shots into the face of the man that lay by the car. We're too late. We might have found her. But no one can save her now.

Suddenly the shooting stops and her cries of anger soon fade into pitiful sobs of fear and pain. I can hear Logan clambering to his feet and starting towards her. And I remember how scared she is of him. Suddenly I roll onto all fours and have myself upright. The pain in my chest seems to subside a little as my adrenaline finally kicks in and I manage to somehow run through the bodies and hurry towards her.

She has fallen forward onto her side on the muddy ground and I lift her shoulders to put my arms around her. She collapses against me and clutches at my arms as I hold her tightly. "Anna." I manage to whisper against her forehead and can feel the cold clamminess of her skin.

"We should get out of here." Logan says urgently.

I mumble in agreement and move back from Anna slightly so Logan can crouch down and gather her into his arms. She makes no protest as he lifts her effortlessly from the ground and I get to my feet to stagger after him.

"Wait …" Logan stops suddenly and frowns as he peers around the dark wood.

"What?" I ask quietly and step up beside him. Now he's sniffing the air and I peer amid the trees around us. "Where?"

"I don't know." Logan mutters under his breath and crouches down to lay Anna carefully onto the floor.

I kneel down beside Anna and gently support her trembling shoulders as Logan wanders back into the wood a short way.

"Scott." Anna husks quietly. "Let her go."

I look down at Anna and can just make out the pain that crosses her face. "Logan?" I call gently and watch him turn back to me.

"She helped me." Anna continues softly, "She wanted to take me with her but I wanted to wait … I hoped that you would come."

"Oh god, Anna … I'm so sorry." I whisper quickly.

"Please. Let her go."

I look up at Logan and can see the conflict in his face. I know the feeling all too well. But we cannot deny the fact that Mystique has done what we could not and when she found Anna, she contacted Charles. She may well have her own agenda in all this but at the moment it matches ours and Logan sighs heavily as he nods slightly and hurries back over to us.

The jet is amid the trees on the other side of the road and so we make our way well beyond the scene before chancing emerging from the woods and crossing the road. It won't be long before press and even more police arrive to see the devastation and I hope that the blacked out limo and dead officers will tell enough of a story to prevent them digging deeper into what happened here. Maybe tonight will spark a barrage of revenge killings but then no one will miss a few mob members. And it's a small price to pay for our secret to be kept safe.

My chest is aching as I climb the ramp up into the jet and see Logan carefully lower Anna onto the floor. He helps her settle back against the hull and I watch in concern as she now sees in the bright interior of the jet who it was that had been carrying her. I almost expect her to freak, to cower away from him as she used to do. But she smiles thinly and nods in gratitude as she closes her eyes. I guess that after what she has just been through, even Logan must seem tame in comparison.

I make my way over to her and kneel down on the floor beside her. "Anna?" I begin gently and put my hand on her trembling shoulder. She doesn't flinch at my touch and I hope that this is a new strength that she has developed since she has been away and is not simply due to the rage I saw in her just a few minutes ago.

"I called for you, Scott." She says quietly and her eyes are still closed as she turns her head away from me. "So many times I called for you … and you never came."

"We tried to find you, Anna." I reply quickly, pulling my gloves off so I can touch her skin, make contact the way I did that night all those months ago. "The professor had done too good a job. But then Mystique contacted us and said she had found a trail. God knows how but she found a lead." I can see from the hurt on Anna's face that she doesn't believe me and I don't blame her. I can understand how much she must hate me right now. And I get to my feet to wander through to the front of the jet.

"I've contacted Jean." Logan offers quickly from the pilot's seat.

I'm now aware that the jet is moving and I look up to see the night sky flashing past the front window as I settle into the seat beside Logan.

"How you doing?"

Logan is regarding me in concern and I realise that my arm is clutching my sore chest again. Breathing still hurts but I'm getting used to the stabbing pain that comes with the movement of my ribs. I nod in reply and then watch as he stands from his chair and moves towards Anna.

"Hey there …" Logan offers softly and pulls a blanket from one of the storage chests to wrap it around her.

Anna turns her head to look up at him and smiles bravely. Her face is then contorted with pain and I watch in concern as she clutches at her abdomen.

"Okay, you're okay now." Logan soothes and gently places his hand over hers. He glances at me in apprehension and I stand to hurry back over to her.

"I should call Jean again." Logan whispers and quickly stands to hurry back up to the front of the jet.

I sit here beside Anna and am at a loss as to what to do. She has closed her eyes and turned away from me again. I know that this is not the time to try and reason with her. But now something within me is suggesting that maybe it is. I watch as her body tenses and she sighs as she clutches at her abdomen.

"Anna?" I edge closer to her and watch as she keeps her eyes closed and makes no response. "Anna … I'm sorry." Still she does not reply and I look away from her face to watch her hands gently stroking the immense bump beneath her dark pyjamas. I can feel my visor tightening across my eyes as I frown in concern and watch her in silence.

She has changed so much since I last saw her and I guess that's because of the pregnancy.

Of course, she essentially looks the same but her face is rounder and her skin is dark with tan. And then there is the immense swelling of her abdomen. I can't believe the size of the bump and I then realise that I'm staring at it in fascination. I look back up at her face and now see the tears that course down the sides of her grubby cheeks.

"Hey …" I reach out to place my hands over hers and she instantly recoils from me.

Anna coughs weakly to clear her throat and slowly shakes her head. "Leave me alone."

"Anna." I sigh and it becomes a groan as pain shoots through my chest.

"Just leave me alone." Anna repeats under her breath.

I nod slowly and decide that I'm not going to get through at the moment. I start to get to my feet but then suddenly remember that night before she left and how she had responded to me. I swallow hard as I make my decision and kneel down beside her to gather her shoulders in my arms. She tries to push me away and I almost give up as she struggles and presses her hands into my bruised chest. But suddenly she relents and rests against me. Slowly she turns her whole body towards me and slips her arms around my waist.

"It's okay, Anna … you're okay …" I say softly and a lump rises in my throat as she begins to sob desperately. "I know …" I continue in a whisper. "It's okay … you're safe now."

Anna slides down wearily and nestles her head in my lap to lie on the floor beside me. She is trembling and continues to cry bitterly. I stroke her hair back from the side of her face and snag my fingers in the tangles of her dark curls. Mud, leaves and dried blood has been caught in her hair and I then notice the dirt and dark blood that has stained her navy blue t-shirt and trousers. I can't begin to imagine how terrified she must have been as the police and paramedics were murdered around her and for a moment I could convince myself that it excuses her retaliation.

Suddenly Anna groans in pain and one of her hands leaves my waist to clutch at her abdomen. I move my hand next to hers and can feel how hard the bump has become.

"Scott?"

I look up and see Logan hurrying back through the jet towards us and he grabs the emergency kit from its compartment. "What did Jean say?" I ask quickly.

"Did you get shot?" Logan counters worriedly.

"No. The suit did its job." I reply and want to add that it hurts just as much as if I had been shot but the concern on his face is worrying me. I lean across Anna to see what has caught Logan's attention and my heart sinks as I see the blood that is smeared across the silver floor. "Anna!" I sit back and am now examining her soiled pyjamas more closely. My fingers then touch a damp patch on her t-shirt and I groan in dismay.

"Scott?" Logan asks worriedly.

"It's Anna!" I reply, a little too harshly. "How come you didn't know!"

Logan kneels down beside Anna and shakes his head slowly, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. "There's blood from at least five different people on her. It's hard to tell if any is hers."

"Oh shit …" I husk and gently lift Anna to sit her back up against the hull. She has opened her eyes now and is watching me in fear. "Why didn't you tell us?" I ask softly and can now see the small hole in the material over her shoulder.

"I …" Anna reaches up timidly and brushes her fingers over the wet material. "I didn't know."

I want to lift her t-shirt and check the damage but I can't begin to imagine how that would freak her out. Even though she seems much calmer around us now, I don't want to scare her.

Not that I think I could scare her much more than she already is. And that is how she could be shot and not know. Her mind is elsewhere. I can only hope that she has blocked out all that has happened. Jean can help her deal with it later.

Logan has now placed a small receiver in his ear and is relaying to Jean what we have discovered. There was a time when something as simple as a conversation like this between the two of them would make my blood boil irrationally but right now I'm glad that he is talking to her. As professional as we both can be, I don't think either Jean or I could remain calm if we spoke now. There is too much emotion involved.

"Is it bad?" Anna asks quietly, her eyes searching my partially concealed face for an answer.

I force a smile to my lips and continue to try and decipher which of the bloodstains are hers. The shoulder wound is no longer bleeding but the bullet must be inside and I relay that to Logan so he can tell Jean. The hole in her upper arm is much the same and I feel relieved that the shots seem fairly superficial.

"They killed Matt." Anna offers softly.

I stop my inspection and look back up at her flushed face. She closes her eyes and my heart is racing. I don't know whom she is referring to but can guess that it must have something to do with the blood Logan found in the alley behind the house.

"I'm so sorry." Anna offers in a whisper. "It had to be this way."

"What? What do you mean?"

"I'm sorry, Scott." She says again.

"You'll be okay." I soothe gently but I can see in Anna's face that she knows I'm lying.

"I had to get away." Anna continues. "This was the only way."

"Don't think about it now. We can talk about it later." I soothe gently and place my hand on her cheek. "We found you. You're safe."

"No. You're wrong. Anna can never be safe."

I glance at Logan worriedly and can see that he is thinking the same thing. Anna's lost it. She's making no sense and I'm hoping that it's caused by shock and blood loss and not the potential damage to her psyche that all this has caused.

"Anna is gone." She mumbles and closes her eyes.

"No. You're here with us and you're going to be fine." I catch the uncertainty that flashes across Logan's face and glare at him angrily. "We'll get you home soon."

"Home?" Anna laughs softly and closes her eyes as she shakes her head. "There's no such place for me."

"Don't be silly – of course there is. You belong with us!"

Anna opens her eyes and her smile fades as she regards me in uncertainty. "Not when they find out what I've done."

"We saw, Anna." Logan counters softly and gently places a hand on her uninjured shoulder. "We'll help you. You had to defend yourself – we understand that."

"No." She shakes her head and fresh tears flow down her flushed cheeks. "Anna did that."

"What?" I frown in confusion.

"She killed them."

Now my mind is racing with terms that I've heard Jean talking about. Disassociation caused by trauma, bipolar disorder, people creating a different personality to overcome periods of heightened emotional stress.

"Emily was someone." Anna continues. "She was Matt's wife. She had a future. Anna has nothing. Anna's just a project."

Something has changed in Anna's face and my heart races as I realise that the shock of all that has happened is fading now. She is remembering. And it is no longer just a physical pain that lies in her eyes. Wait for Jean, I want to tell her. Don't think about it all until Jean can help you. She is then distracted by a new wave of agony across her abdomen and I take her hand as she holds her breath until the tightness eases.

"Jean said how often is she contracting?" Logan offers softly.

Oh god. Of course. That must be what is happening. But does it have to be now? "Every few minutes." I reply softly.

Anna is holding my hand tight and I look down to see her knuckles whiten as she squeezes my fingers hard. I then see the dark staining on the bottom of her t-shirt and gently wipe the back of my hand across the patch. The material is wet and I swallow hard as I realise that one of the bullets has gone into her abdomen. And this must be where the blood on the floor of the jet is coming from.

"He's not moving, Scott."

I lift my head and see Anna looking at me in fear. "He?" I frown in confusion and my heart sinks as I realise what she's referring to. Or rather, who.

"Logan!" I demand hurriedly.

Logan quickly moves closer to roll Anna away from him and lifts the back of her t-shirt.

"Fuck …" He curses under his breath and avoids looking up at me as he sighs heavily. "This looks bad, Jean." Logan says softly and briefly describes the hole in the centre of her back.

I watch as Logan listens to Jean's reply and he then glances up at me. "Understood." He says into the receiver and smiles thinly. "They've launched the other jet and we'll rendezvous soon." Logan offers softly and then tears open a field dressing from the emergency pack that he then presses against Anna's back.

The sudden sensation of gauze pressing against torn flesh and raw nerve endings makes Anna cry out and she falls against me. I wrap my arms around her shoulders and rest my cheek against her forehead as slowly the tears come.

"It's okay … I've got you …" I soothe gently. I can't see the wound but the puddle of blood on the floor behind her seems huge. Then I see that the dark matter is mixed with water and I watch the new blood swirling amid the clear liquid. For a moment I'm confused and then suddenly I know what has happened. I close my eyes as I remember where the point of impact is and realise that the bullet must have torn through her uterus.

"He's not moving." Anna mutters again against my neck.

"It's okay …" I turn my head and press my lips into her forehead.

"I can't feel him, Scott."

"It's just the shock." I offer softly. "You'll be fine … both of you." I look up and now catch Logan's eyes. His shoulders fall as he nods towards the dressing and I quickly move my hand to take over applying pressure.

Logan stands to walk back up into the cockpit and takes a deep breath. "Jean …" He begins in a whisper into the comm.

I lean back slightly to look down at Anna and can now see the tears that trickle down her cheeks.

"Why does it have to be this way, Scott?" Anna asks quietly. "Why now? After all this time?"

I can't find the words to reply and simply hold her tighter against me.

"I can't lose him, Scott." Anna is sobbing now and clutching at the leather of my uniform.

I hear Logan making his way back over to us and I swallow back the lump in my throat as he crouches next to me. There is that look in his eyes again. The same expression that I saw outside the professor's office all those months ago. And it doesn't seem right that he should be able to cry when I cannot. I'm too angry.

Logan clears his throat and glances at Anna, reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder. "We're about an hour away." He offers softly and then looks back up at me and I can see in his face that he is thinking the same as me.

We could have prevented this. We should have prevented this. We should never have let her go.


	9. Chapter 9

_**ANNA**_

It feels like I'm slowly ascending from under water as gradually all my senses begin to come into focus. First I am aware of the hushed voices around me and I try to make out whom they belong to. Then I slowly realise that I'm lying on a soft, comfortable bed.

I start to wonder where I might like to be. Perhaps the voices are those of my college friends and I'm waking from a post-frat-party coma. Or maybe I could go further back and it's my family talking around me. My hands are by my side and I move them out to the edge of the bed. It's narrow and, though comfortable, the mattress is thin and it could easily be one of the bunkers in the RV that we used to go touring in every summer.

Suddenly one of the voices picks up in volume and I recognise Jean's gentle tones. So I'm with them again. At the mansion? No. I'm now aware of a slight rumbling beneath me and I can hear the gentle droning of the engines.

"Anna?"

Her voice is much clearer now and I feel the air beside me move as she steps closer to me. I want to pretend that I'm still sleeping in the hope that she'll leave me alone. But why would I want that?

"Anna. Hold on. Don't let go."

Something inside me is warning me not to open my eyes. For some reason, I'm safer if I keep my eyes closed. But this intrigues me and suddenly I've blinked and am looking up at the silver ceiling of one of the jets.

"Hey …"

I hold my breath as her face moves into view and I watch as she smiles down at me. There's something behind that smile. Her eyes are sad and I can't quite remember why but it doesn't surprise me that there are tearstains on her face.

"We're almost home." Jean offers gently.

I frown up at her and then turn away from her to look around at my surroundings. I'm lying on a gurney that has been secured against the hull of the jet. My shoulders are elevated slightly and I can look down the craft to where Scott is sitting in one of the seats in the cockpit. He has removed the top part of his uniform and it hangs around his waist. I watch in concern as he lifts his t-shirt and the immense blue form of Hank leans in towards Scott to gently examine his bare chest with his huge hands. Scott flinches at Hank's touch and curses under his breath.

"My apologies." Hank soothes gently and ceases his examination. "It is as you feared and I would imagine that perhaps two or three ribs are fractured."

"We'll know more when we get back." Jean offers.

Scott and Hank look across at her as they hear her speak and they both then notice me watching them. I watch as Scott slowly stands and begins towards me. I see the bruising on his chest as Scott lowers his t-shirt and I frown up at him in concern. "What happened?" I ask quietly.

"Don't worry about it. It's okay." Scott replies quickly and reaches out to place a hand on my arm. "How are you feeling?"

My frown grows as I consider the question and slowly realise that I'm not feeling anything. There's nothing.

"It's okay, Anna." Jean begins softly, "I gave you a really strong pain-killer. You won't feel anything for a while."

I smile gratefully and then my frown returns as I wonder what it is that she is preventing me from feeling. I look down at myself and my eyes fall on the immense swelling beneath the blankets. Now I remember. And it slams into me like a truck. I close my eyes and feel a lump rising in my throat. For one horrible moment I'm not sure if I'm going to start blubbering like a child or simply throw up.

Then I sense a gentle tug on my mind and the images fade. The doctors, the soldiers, Matt, the ultrasound images, all of them gradually disappear and the panic subsides.

I open my eyes and gasp as I see the pain etched on Jean's face. She stumbles back from the bed slightly and I watch as Scott quickly grabs her shoulders to support her.

"Jean, don't." I say quietly and reach out to take her hand. "You don't have to do this."

She lifts her head and looks into my face. I look into her pain-filled eyes and can feel tears trickling down my cheeks.

"I can help you." Jean argues softly, her voice trembling.

I nod slowly. "But not like this."

"Please." I squeeze Jean's hand and she frowns down at me. "Don't do this to yourself. You don't deserve it."

_And you do?_

Her voice seems loud inside my head and I wince slightly as the noise makes me realise just how empty my mind is, how much she has taken. "It's too late for me."

"No!" Jean retorts aloud and steps closer to the bed. "It's never too late!"

"Please." I continue in a whisper. "Let me go."

"What?" Scott gasps suddenly and looks from me to Jean. "What's going on? Jean?" Scott demands gently and moves round to look into her face. He cups her chin in his hand and sighs as he sees the sweat on her brow.

I watch Jean as she nods slowly and gradually the images seep back into my mind. My heart sinks as the reality of all that has happened floods through me and I let my head fall back against the pillows with a sob.

XXXXX

I don't remember arriving back at the mansion. I know that we have and I know that they wheeled me through here to the infirmary but I don't remember being aware of them as they moved me onto one of Jean's examination tables.

Examination. Once the very name would make my skin crawl but now I couldn't care. I'm not here anymore. I'm somewhere near me but I'm not really me. I really hope that it's because of the morphine Jean gave me.

"Anna?"

I look up into his concerned face and see the frown that knots his brow above his glasses. He has changed out of his uniform but he hasn't showered and he smells of leather and sweat. It is a nice combination and I would act on the effect if he were mine. But he's not mine. Matt was though. Matt is dead.

"Anna, Jean needs to have a look at you."

I tear my eyes from his face and look around at the infirmary. Jean is there, waiting patiently at the foot of the bed. Now I can vaguely remember fighting with her as she tried to give me treatment. She examined me in the jet. She saw the damage then.

"What's the point?" I ask quietly.

"You're hurt, Anna." Scott answers matter-of-factly.

I look back up at him and smile thinly. "I don't want to be Anna anymore."

Scott frowns down at me and then glances at Jean. I see her nod and shrug her shoulders slightly.

"Okay … who do you want to be?" Scott enquires softly.

"I like Emily. I was told I had to be Emily."

"Okay." Scott smiles thinly and tries to seem understanding. "Is it okay if Jean examines you? Emily." He adds quickly.

I nod a reply and close my eyes. Soon Jean and Scott have carefully undressed me, all the while keeping a sheet over me to protect my modesty. That makes me want to laugh. Don't they know I really couldn't give a shit anymore?

As Jean takes a look at the hole in my shoulder, I'm barely aware of her touch, thanks to the morphine. But it's a different matter entirely as Scott helps me roll onto my side and Jean touches the wound in my back with her gloved hands. I can feel that clearly. I gasp as hot burning pain tears through me and I have instinctively grabbed at Scott's arms as he supports me.

"Sorry." Jean offers quickly from somewhere behind me and then I am aware of her standing back up and sighing heavily.

Scott helps me roll back and the weight of the pregnancy pressing into me makes me feel dizzy. I remember reading somewhere that it's not good to lay on your back in the third trimester. I can't remember why. Only that it's not good for the baby.

"Hey …"

I'm now aware of one of them stroking my hair back from my face and dabbing at the tears that I had not realised were falling. I open my eyes and see that Jean has wandered over to the other side of the room. It is Scott that is gently wiping my face with a tissue and he is watching me in concern.

"I'll need Hank's help to repair the damage." Jean begins softly as she wanders back towards me. She is drawing up some liquid from a small vial into a syringe and smiles down at me. "More pain-killer." Jean explains.

"No." I swallow back the lump in my throat and hold up my hand to her. "No more. It's making my head go funny." I laugh despite myself and let out a heavy sigh. "Not that it could get much funnier." I add.

"You'll be fine." Jean counters softly.

"Oh please!" I shake my head defiantly, "If you're about to tell me that everything will be fine, don't! You've been inside my thoughts. You know I'm a long fucking way from 'fine'!"

The two of them avoid my gaze for a long uncomfortable moment and I take a deep breath. "Get Hank. Do whatever you need to do."

"Are you sure?" Jean frowns in concern.

I know that she can remember how I reacted before to the idea of Hank touching me but I'm way beyond caring about any of that any longer. I can't think about anything right now. "Can't you just knock me out?"

"Well …" Jean sighs and glances at my abdomen.

"I don't want to be aware of any of this. It's too much." I explain quietly and close my eyes. "I can't deal with this. And I'm so tired." Suddenly I recall long nights disturbed by the baby kicking inside me and a sob escapes my lips.

"Anna - " Jean stops herself and then steps closer to me. "Emily … we should check on the baby …"

I open my eyes and blink away the tears that blur my vision. "Can't you do that while I'm asleep?"

Jean seems stunned for a moment and glances at Scott.

"How are you going to get him out?" I ask her suddenly. "I mean … can you do that while I'm out, too."

"I don't - " Jean begins.

"You do know that he's dead." I say quickly and see the pain that flashes across her face, only to be hastily replaced with a reassuring smile. "You're not seriously going to tell me that he's okay!" I shout angrily and wince as I lean up on my elbows, "The bastards shot me through the stomach! And now he's not moving! And he always moves! He's dead! Got that!"

"Anna!" Scott gasps in horror.

"What?" I defend furiously. "You don't believe me?"

"No."

I turn to Jean and glare at her angrily as she holds me in her steady gaze. She is daring me to let her check. It's probably some psychological bullshit. She thinks I have to see my unmoving baby on the ultrasound screen in order to face the reality of it all. But I know the truth. It's her that needs to see it in black and white.

"Fine." I sigh in dismay and slump back against the bed. "Whatever."

The transmission jelly is cold and I shudder as Jean squirts the blue gunk onto my skin. Suddenly I'm remembering the last time she scanned me and how very different this feels.

Perhaps this is my fault. My son is dead now because I had wished it so all those months ago. I even tried to kill him. Now I have succeeded.

I try to relax back against the bed and close my eyes as she presses the probe against my abdomen. She checks the internal damage from the gunshot wound first and is careful to avoid getting any of the jelly into the small hole in the top of my bump.

After a moment my curiosity gets the better of me and I open my eyes. She has pulled the scanner closer to the foot of the bed to peer at the images and I can just about make out what she is looking at. I can guess that the dark lines that arc across the screen must be the uterus wall and the sacs around the baby. I watch as Jean moves the probe and sighs slightly.

"What?" I ask quickly.

Jean glances back at me and for a moment I'm sure she's going to give me that sarcastic 'thought you didn't want to know' look that my mother used to give. My real mother, that is. Not the woman that Mystique created.

"The bullet has skimmed across the top of the uterus." She answers softly, "Through the placenta. And there is a lot of blood."

"That's not good." I nod slowly and Scott places his hand over mine. I turn my hand over and lace my fingers through his. I squeeze his fingers as Jean moves the probe and there suddenly on the screen is a foot. A perfect, clearly defined, five-toed foot. I cover my mouth with my free hand but cannot stop the cry that escapes my throat.

"Jean …" Scott cautions gently.

Jean looks back from the screen and watches me for a moment. I can do nothing but stare at the foot that is not moving on the screen but gradually I calm and I look to her to nod slowly.

She moves the probe and the three of us watch as the baby is revealed in small sections on the computer monitor. Curled up as if sleeping soundly, his perfect body completely motionless.

I feel numb. I knew that he was gone but this is too real. Now I'm wishing that this had been done while I was asleep.

Scott is squeezing my hand hard and I look up to see his face contorted with emotion, tears emerging from under the lower rim of his glasses. His lips are trembling and I watch him for a moment, feeling suddenly guilty that I am not reacting like this. Wishing that the numbness would pass and I could scream and howl.

Suddenly Scott gasps and the probe jumps against my abdomen as Jean flinches. I frown in concern as I turn to look at her and see that she is gazing at me in wonder, a smile pulling on her tearstained cheeks.

She looks back at the screen and adjusts the angle of the probe. And there it is. The movement is hard to make out at first and then I realise what I'm looking at. The gentle fluttering of a steadily beating heart.

Jean leans across to press a button on the machine and the sound kicks in. And suddenly the infirmary is filled with the two-tone rhythm of the pulse.

"Oh god …" I mutter under my breath and listen to the sound. It can't be true. "Isn't that too slow, though?"

I keep quiet as Jean looks at her watch and begins to silently count the heartbeats.

"No." She replies softly, "Not from what I remember of my Paed rotation. And besides …" She glances at Scott, "My studies of Logan revealed that he can lower his heart rate to an impossibly low speed. It could be that the baby is slowing everything down while he heals."

Of course. These past few months of trying to create an illusion of normality have caused me forget what my baby is.

"How long can he survive like this?" Scott asks quietly.

"I don't know." Jean shrugs.

I watch the image on the screen and listen to the sound of the heartbeat; unable to comprehend that he is really okay.

"But …" Scott begins carefully. "What about the water that was leaking?"

"I'll have to ask Hank. He knows more about this than me. We can measure how much is left I think." Jean replies.

I nod in agreement and Scott releases his grip on my hand to wander across to the door. I hear the voices in the corridor that stop abruptly the moment the door opens and the sound of the heartbeat floods from the room.

Hank wanders inside and smiles down at me. I don' t really know him but his smile seems to say 'don't get your hopes up'. I won't.

Hank and Jean start chattering together in a language that I don't understand. It's English but the words make no sense and I let them continue together as Jean moves the probe around. They take a few minutes to examine my son in detail and I close my eyes as I listen to the sound of his heartbeat.

XXXXX

I wake slowly and have no idea for how long I've been sleeping. The lights in the room are dim and my back aches as I slowly roll over and look at the clock on the bedside table. 07.45. Now I'm wondering what woke me up and then a feel the movement inside me.

"Oh, you, huh?" I mumble softly into the empty room and place my hand on my abdomen. The movement pulls at my shoulder and as my fingers brush over the dressing under my t-shirt I wince a little. The gunshot wounds didn't hurt anywhere near as much as this before they were treated but I know they couldn't be left. The wound in my back is the most sore and it stings as I adjust position.

Now I've got a tingling in my left arm from lying on my side. I push myself up into a sitting position and swing my legs over the side of the bed as I flex my arm to encourage it back to life.

I wander over to the window and pull back one of the heavy curtains. Bright morning sunshine glinting off snow greets me and I wince a little as my eyes adjust to the light. This time yesterday I was waking to a gorgeous day on the west coast. Matt was already up, and watching cartoons while preparing breakfast.

I wonder if classes are going ahead as usual today or whether I will be able to sit and talk with them. I need to talk. I've not spoken about any of this for months. My life has seemed almost normal, as though I stepped out of the chaos for a short time and tasted an alternate reality. And being back here is a confusing mess of relief and loss.

I miss Matt. And there's an aching in my chest as I think of Maggie. I miss the illusion of the life we created and I smile as I realise that I even miss the comfort that was the van watching from across the street.

Or what I thought was a comfort. I want to know everything that Jean and Charles have managed to find out and what will happen now.

My son moves again and I look down at the bump. He has obviously recovered from the damage that the bullet did. Hank and Jean decided that it was safe for both of us for him to stay where he is. They repaired the external damage and serial scans showed that the tear in the placenta and membranes were healing themselves. Of course, they would do; they are made from the same genetically engineered material as my son. And the contractions that I had been having ceased shortly after we had arrived at the mansion and my abdomen is soft now.

It's strange. Even in the midst of all that was happening, for one moment I was back to being Emily. A pregnant woman with nothing but my baby and the fear of labour to worry about. Those contractions may not have been labour but they were certainly painful and for a time I had thought of nothing but how the hell I am ever going to cope with the real thing.

No guns, no genetic experiments, no betrayal. Just Emily. And now I can remember telling Scott that I wanted to stay as her.

I wander across to the sofa and pick up the jogging pants that Jean has loaned to me. They fit snugly over my hips and I tie the string under my bump as I pad out into the hall.

Really I should be resting and my whole body aches in protest as I wander along the corridor. I don't know if the cameras have recorded my movements but its no surprise as I turn the corner and nearly collide with her.

"What are you doing up?" Jean asks softly and then lets out a sigh. "I knew we should have kept you in the infirmary and made you rest."

"I was restless." I explain quickly and then smile as I look down. "Or, rather, he was."

"How you feeling?"

"I'm not sure." I sigh and look into her tired face. I wonder what time she eventually got to sleep, if at all. Her dark eyes have grey shadows under them and her hair is unkempt.

"Do you need to talk?" Jean offers gently.

I nod a reply and she links her arm through mine to lead me back to my room. She guides me back to my bed and smiles at me as I begin to protest. I climb obediently under the covers and rest back against the pillows.

"I'm worried about what you said before," Jean begins carefully and sits down on the edge of the bed. "About not wanting to be Anna."

"Oh." I can feel my cheeks flushing and I shrug my shoulders, immediately making a mental note not to do that again as my shoulder begins to throb. "I wasn't really thinking straight."

"What was it like?" Jean continues, frowning at me in concern. "What was Emily like?"

"Happy." I reply, "She had a little house by the beach. A good husband. A nursery that she decorated herself." I look down at my hands and take a deep breath, trying to fight the tears that are forming. "And she felt safe."

"You are safe here with us." Jean offers gently.

I look up into her sincere face and I want to believe her. But as much as she has helped me in the past and as much as I might trust her to make all this pain go away, something tells me there is much more to come.

"We honestly thought that we were doing the right thing, Anna."

"I know." I nod and close my eyes as I lean my head back against the pillows. And I do believe that they had the best intentions for my son and me. But what they did was send me into a dream. A place where I no longer had to deal with all that had happened but could simply forget it all and be someone else. And now I've been dragged back into the nightmare of real life. And I'm no closer to being able to cope with this than I was all those months ago.

"There were seven others." Jean says quietly after a moment.

I open my eyes and lift my head to look at her. "Others?"

"None of those pregnancies developed beyond 12 weeks." She smiles thinly and takes a deep breath. "Charles and I have done nothing but hunt for more information since you left. We managed to track down two of the assistants from the laboratory and they were too scared to talk to us but we read enough detail from them to piece together the operation."

"And?" I urge eagerly.

"It was just as we had guessed. Low key. Information being contained among the highest levels of medical personnel."

"So what did the army think was happening at their base?" I ask in wonder.

"Well, genetic research. The same that has been in progress for over a decade now." Jean smiles thinly, "But they thought that the doctors were trying to develop some kind of biological weapon. A formula that could be used to disable or even kill mutants."

"No!"

Jean nods slowly, "None of this is new to us, Anna. There are powerful people out there who would be very happy if we were to disappear."

"Who?"

"Well … that's the only part of the puzzle that we are yet to solve. Whoever is behind all this has covered their tracks very effectively." Jean sighs and looks down at her hands. "But we have recently acquired some new intelligence. Charles has been investigating this new lead and he'll be back this afternoon. We should know more then."

"I saw you on the television a while back." I smile thinly, "I knew you hadn't forgotten about me. As hard as that was to believe sometimes."

"Oh, Anna, no! We never forgot about you. We just had to wait until we had all the answers and then we could have come for you."

Now my heart is racing and I frown at her in confusion. "You knew where I was?"

"I … well … yeah." Jean stammers and avoids my gaze. "Charles' contact in the FBI told us.

I'm not sure what to make of this discovery. I watch her in silence and try to read her expression. She turns to me after a moment and smiles thinly. There's regret in her eyes and my heart sinks.

"I'm so sorry." Jean whispers.

I don't know what to say or do. I'm afraid of the anger that is welling inside me. Afraid of what I'm capable of. What I never knew I was capable of. And I feel nauseous as I recall the last time I felt this way.

"I'd like you to leave." I order softly.

Jean nods silently and stands from the bed. She watches me for a moment and I'm sure I'm going to feel the gentle pull of her mind touching mine but it doesn't happen and she wanders from the room, leaving me to remember how it feels to keep firing and watch a human face dissolve into pulp.


	10. Chapter 10

_**SCOTT**_

I don't know what is worse; watching Anna suffer or knowing that there is fuck all that I can do. Jean is what she needs now. I played my part the night that I kissed her and Logan and I have brought her back to the safety of the mansion. And now it's up to the experts.

God, what did she mean? She wants to be Emily? Is she really that fucked up in the head?

I told Logan what she had said and he had simply nodded. He said he's seen this before. Extreme situations driving a person insane. And as worrying as that is, I realise now that it's what I'm clinging to. The Anna that I knew would not have done the things that we saw. It must have been temporary insanity brought on by fear. If not, she's more dangerous that any of us have imagined.

I've been lying here for a while now, somewhere between conscious thought and sleep. I'm tired but if I close my eyes then the image of Anna killing those men enters my mind and makes me shudder.

Jean is sleeping soundly beside me and I listen to her steady breaths. A slight groan interrupts her breathing occasionally and I smile to myself. This is as loud as her snoring gets, a delicate grumble in the darkness.

I edge closer to her and my smile grows as I place my hand on her thigh and she immediately responds with a sub-conscious moan. I want to curl up behind her and press my body against hers but right now prone is the only position that doesn't increase the pain in my chest.

Two cracked ribs and heavy bruising. As grateful as I am for the Kevlar protection, I don't remember the gunshot being this painful as it healed. But even this is small in comparison to the throbbing in my head. Usually darkness helps and the cool relief of the herb-scented eye mask should provide some comfort but not tonight. I didn't tell Jean, she's got enough on her mind right now. Hank gave me some painkillers but said that he thought my headache was due to stress, as opposed to the usual optic-blast related migraine. And it's an odd feeling to be excited about having an 'ordinary' headache.

I want to talk to Anna. I want to hear her side of things, hope that she'll tell me that she didn't kill those men. Mystique was there – maybe she is responsible. That would be easier to deal with. But I saw the look in Anna's eyes and I know that it was her that gunned down the suits by the car. The soldiers, maybe not, but the men that had come for her had not expected to face such rage. A rage that would never have surfaced if she had been kept here in the security of the mansion.

Now I'm wishing that I had Jean's ability and could search for Anna's thoughts. She insisted on being allowed to sleep in her room and not the infirmary, which means she is only a few doors along the hall. I could just go down and check on her. But what would I say? And how obvious would it be if I climb into her bed in the middle of the night. She doesn't need to taste any of the confusion in my mind right now. She needs Jean. And Charles will be back later today to help unravel the mess in her head.

XXXXX

I wake up suddenly and am not sure what disturbed me. My heart is racing as I pull off the eye mask and search blindly for my glasses. The room is bright and I peer around in disorientation. My eyes then rest on the clock beside the bed and I can't believe that it's after ten. Oh shit! I've overslept! Why didn't Jean wake me?

My panic subsides as I suddenly remember my conversation with Hank last night. He has taken the students that have not gone home for Thanksgiving out for the day. He thought that Anna would need some space and I guess Jean and Charles will need to be free of distraction while they work with her.

I climb from the bed and wander into the bathroom. I feel terrible. My whole body aches and my head is still throbbing. I climb into the shower and shudder as the hot water pounds against my skin.

I feel dizzy and shaky as I dry myself and I perch on the edge of the bath for a moment. This feeling is somehow familiar and I groan as I piece my symptoms together and figure that I must be coming down with a cold. I feel weak as I stand and wander back through to the bedroom to dress. A smile dances on my lips as I remember the last time I had a bad cold. It doesn't happen often and I can recall Jean teasing me for my melodramatics.

Finally dressed, I wander from the bedroom and head for the kitchen to gather together a vitamin overdose. The house is quiet as I stride through the wide main hallway and I wonder where Jean might be. I imagine she's already deep in counselling mode with Anna and I hope it's going okay.

Something makes me stop as I pass the entrance to the lounge and I frown as I feel again the gentle chill that is coming from the room. Stepping into the immense room, I now see that the door through to the garden is open slightly. And then I see her, sitting on one of the benches looking out across the grounds.

Anna doesn't flinch as I place a throw from one of the sofas around her shoulders and she continues to gaze out over the garden. I sit down beside her and shiver in the chill breeze. The sun is bright in the clear sky and the snow is melting under the gentle warmth but it's still pretty cold out here.

I sit here with Anna for a few minutes and the silence is surprisingly comfortable. I wish I knew what she is thinking but I can make a pretty good guess as I watch her in the corner of my vision and see the tears that are gently falling. I wonder if she knows how hard it is not to gather her in my arms.

"Thank you."

Anna's voice is quiet and she clears her throat as she turns to me. I look into her bloodshot eyes and return the smile she is offering me.

"Thank you for not ordering me back inside." Anna continues and hugs the thick blanket further around her.

"Sure." I nod slightly and watch her for a moment. "So why are you sitting out here freezing your butt off?"

Anna's smile grows for a second and then fades as she sighs and looks down at the edge of the lawn that is appearing under the retreating snow. "I hadn't realised how cold it is, actually."

I watch her shudder and then notice that she has bare feet. And now I'm wondering if we're back to suicide watch again and maybe Anna was hoping to catch hypothermia.

"I just wanted some air." Anna offers softly and then takes a deep breath. "But, you're right – it's fucking cold out here!" She laughs softly as she stands and heads back into the house.

I close the door behind us and watch as Anna curls up on the sofa and pulls the blanket close to her. Reservations aside, I hurry over to her and wrap my arms around her, rubbing the blanket to try and create some heat. And my heart is racing as she leans against me and nuzzles her face into my neck.

"Thanks." She mutters quietly.

"D'you want me to light the fire?" I ask gently and feel the slight shake of her head against my shoulder. "Okay." I rest my cheek against the top of her head and there we stay for a while. My head is still throbbing and my chest aches but holding her is making me feel a little better. Slowly I realise that I'm pleased that I was wrong. I still have a part to play in all this and I smile, knowing that she needs to be held like this right now. And it's good to feel needed.

That's it. The sudden understanding hits me and my heart is racing again. She needs me. In a way that Jean never has. The relationship that Jean and I have is wonderful and I wouldn't change it for anything. But she doesn't need me. It's something I have somehow always known but never really consciously thought about it. It's always been there. The fact that Jean is older and so much wiser than me in many ways. She leans on me for many things and I know she appreciates what we have together. But she is so independent with an amazing, intelligent mind. That was part of the original attraction and why I still admire her now. And I know that she loves me but she has never really, truly needed me.

"I'm sorry if I scared you."

Anna's quiet words startle me and pull me from my reverie. I can feel her breath on my neck and the cool wetness of her tears soaking into my shirt.

"All that talk of not wanting to be me." Anna continues softly. "I was just too frightened to think straight."

"It's okay." I offer gently, "You don't need to explain."

"Thanks." She sighs, "I guess you know all the stuff that Jean has been telling me."

Actually, I'm not sure I do. I frown as I try to recall what I do know. Jean and Charles have been tracing the staff from the laboratory and kept coming up empty.

"And all that time I imagined that you weren't looking for me."

"What?" I lean back and look down at Anna's pale face.

"Jean told me. How you knew where I was and were always watching. I should have known. I should have trusted you."

Now my mind is racing as I try to work out what Anna is talking about. Charles was very specific. He would not search for Anna. She was safer where she was.

"But when Mystique contacted me, I realised that you had not abandoned me."

Anna sits up straight and smiles up at me through her tears. I smile back at her, glad that I can hide my confusion behind my glasses.

"It's all my fault." Anna sighs and looks down at the bump beneath the folds of blanket. "I should have trusted you. Should have waited for you. But I didn't." She pauses to swallow back the lump in her throat and takes a deep breath. "I told Matt who I really was. And opened the gates to hell."

I'm still not sure what she means about waiting for us and I'm wondering what Mystique said to her. And what conversations Mystique must have had with Charles. And how much Jean hasn't been telling me. But now I see the pain on Anna's face and I make a mental note to have a long talk with Jean later as I realise that Anna needs to tell me what happened.

"I thought the FBI were looking after me." Anna continues huskily.

I watch Anna as she fights back tears and I remember the bullet-ridden house by the beach. And the blood in the back alley.

"When the police arrived, I guess they thought that Matt was trying to abduct me or something." Anna bites her bottom lip for a moment to try and stop it quivering. "At least they were accurate. It was quick."

I place my hand on Anna's shoulder and sigh in dismay. She moves the blanket aside and is now looking at her hands.

"I couldn't save him." Anna whispers. "I couldn't do anything but watch."

Now there is a pang of jealousy somewhere deep within me and I curse myself for feeling this way. But as much as I try not to, I can't help but wonder who Matt was to Anna. And how close he got to her.

"It was only pretend." Anna looks up at me and shakes her head slightly. "We were creating an illusion. The love that we were supposed to share was never real. But I miss him. I miss him so much, Scott!"

I quickly throw my arms around Anna again and pull her close to me as the sobs come. Her cries are loud in the empty lounge and I close my eyes as she pours out so much pain.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Anna groans against my chest. "Why didn't you tell me that you were coming? I wouldn't have said anything if I knew I wasn't alone. Mystique said that she was glad that I was okay and glad that she had found me. But she didn't say that you knew. And I waited for a sign that you were there. But it never came."

"Shh …" I soothe gently and stroke her soft hair. I wish I could explain but I can't. But I know who can explain all this. And I feel anger welling inside me as I decide to confront them both.

"I'm sorry, Scott. I'm so sorry." Anna whispers huskily and leans heavily against me. After a moment she takes a deep, shuddery breath and groans softly. "And then Wade was there."

I close my eyes as I remember the faceless body that lay in the road. I recall the name in his wallet and swallow hard as bile catches in my throat.

"The police said they would take me somewhere safe and I believed them at first. But nowhere was safe. Nowhere but here – I see that now. But I had dropped the transmitter."

I hug Anna tighter to me, ignoring the pain in my chest that grows as I pull her against me. The terror in her voice is making me angrier; we should never have let her go.

"It was so frightening."

Now Anna is quiet and I hold her in silence, feeling the slight trembling of her body. I don't know what she must be feeling. I have never killed anyone. Logan has and for a long time I hated him for it. I hated that suddenly there was this murderer among us, staining all that we stood for with the blood on his hands. But I have come closer to understanding him now and my hate has evolved into a respect that I don't think he knows I have for him. For all that he has survived through.

"It was so sudden. And it felt as though I was watching someone else." Anna continues quietly. "Before I knew what I was doing, I had grabbed a gun and was firing. The soldiers quickly fired back but Wade was shouting at them not to shoot me."

Anna pauses again for a moment and I wait patiently, this can't be easy to tell. I'm not even sure if I want to hear it. I can imagine what must have happened; I saw what was left. But somehow I know that Anna needs to tell me. And I wonder if she has told Jean.

"And then suddenly Mystique was there. She killed all the soldiers."

I nod slightly and feel the relief that flows through me as I realise that Anna was not responsible for all of the carnage.

"When the shooting stopped, I was so terrified by what we had done. Mystique tried to help me stand but all I could do was kneel there among the bodies. And then I heard Wade." A sob escapes Anna's lips and she clutches at me tightly. "He was calling to me and I stood and walked over to him. He tried to tell me that he had come to help me. He said that he had been sent to rescue me. He said that I shouldn't trust Charles. He said that you didn't want to help me. He said that, when you knew the truth, you would hate me."

"What did he mean?" I ask softly.

"I don't know." Anna sobs, her cries growing louder again as she immerses herself in the memory of that night. "I shouted at him to explain but all he would say was that I had to go with him. I was so angry. I was terrified but I was angry that he was one of them. He had betrayed me. And now he was trying to tell me that you were the enemy. So I shot him."

Anna can't speak now due to crying and I rock her gently. I know that she did more than simply shoot him. She emptied an entire cartridge into his face. And if I had been there, I wonder if – knowing all that she has been through – I would have tried to stop her.

"Oh god, Scott! Oh my god! I killed him!"

"Shh … it's over. It's over now." I soothe gently. And I hope I'm right.

XXXXX

I helped Anna wander back to her room and she was exhausted from crying. I tucked her under the covers and waited until she was asleep. Now I'm looking for Jean. She has got some serious explaining to do.

I knew she'd be down here. She spends most of her time with her precious research in the laboratory. I know that the work she does is important but right now it makes her seem no better than the bastards that worked on Anna. And I'm fuming that she's down here when she should be counselling her.

"Jean!" I shout angrily as I charge into the bright room and feel a certain satisfaction as she jumps in fright. "What the fuck have you not been telling me!"

"What?" Jean frowns in concern as she slowly stands from her chair and turns to face me. "Scott? What's wrong?"

"Oh, don't give me that !" I counter furiously, "What's all this shit about you and Charles knowing where Anna was all along?"

"Scott, calm down and I'll explain." Jean offers carefully, raising her hands in a gesture of reassurance.

But her coolness is only pissing me off more and I step closer to her. "Jean! Just tell me what the fuck has been going on!"

"Okay, okay. Just - "

"_Don't _tell me to fucking calm down! Just fucking tell me, or I'll - "

"You'll what?"

I gasp as suddenly he's there, leaping between Jean and me and glaring at me in defiance.

"Oh, piss off, Logan. This is between me and Jean."

"Not any more." Logan counters calmly.

I watch him for a moment. His t-shirt is marked with oil and grease and he's still clutching a rag in one hand. I can smell detergent and I realise that he was in the adjacent hanger and has been cleaning the jet. My eyes rest on the fist that clutches the cloth and I know how hard he is fighting the urge to unleash his claws. But I'm not afraid. I'm furious. He's been toying with my jet and now he has jumped to the defence of my woman. Right now I'm angry enough to take him on.

"Back off, Logan." I warn softly.

"No." Logan replies with equal calm. "Jean's right. You need to calm down. Now, what is you problem?"

"Oh, shut the fuck up!" I spit and suddenly I'm shouting again. "Like you're the embodiment of calm, Wolverine!" I'm pushing for a fight here and I think it would actually help if I can pummel my frustration into him, despite how shit I'm feeling today. But suddenly I realise that if he's defending her, perhaps he too doesn't know what's been going on. "My problem …" I sigh loudly, "Is that Jean and Charles have lied to us." I see the frown that crosses his brow and nod slightly. I look past him to Jean and shrug my shoulders. "Well … tell me I'm wrong."

"No," Jean slowly sits back down in her chair and hangs her head. "You're not wrong."

"What?" Logan has relaxed his stance and turns to look down at her. "What do you mean?"

Jean takes a deep breath and her face is filled with regret as she looks up at us both. "We knew where Anna was being held."

"What?" Logan's frown has deepened and he glances at me for confirmation.

"Charles' source told us all the details of the operation."

"But …" Logan shakes his head slightly. "If you knew … then why not tell us? Why let us think that she couldn't be found?"

"Because they knew we would go and get her." I answer gently and watch Jean nod in agreement.

"We needed to understand who was behind the experiments and we needed time to investigate what precisely had been done to Anna." Jean sighs and looks from Logan to me. "I'm sorry."

"So. What have you found?" I ask carefully.

Jean leans back in her chair and takes a deep breath. "Mostly confirmation of what we had already guessed." She begins, "The experiments have been taking place for over three years now, under the general guise of genetic research. But they were no longer researching; they were designing and creating the ultimate weapon."

I glance at Logan and see him shift uncomfortably. He still has not quite come to terms with all this and I don't blame him.

"Anna was chosen several years ago and she was right in her speculation that they picked her because of her lack of friends and quiet existence. Even the daughter of a senator, if she is inconspicuous enough, could be targeted." Jean shrugs her shoulders and drags a hand through her red hair. "So they watched her and somehow controlled her, ensuring that she was always in reach of the laboratory and even steering her towards the job at the bank. I made contact with the company shortly after Anna left and most of the employees there have no idea that eight of their colleagues have been repeatedly abducted and experimented on."

"And Wade?" I ask quietly.

"Wade had no idea what was going on. It was his father, the CEO, that had agreed the original deal with the scientists and Wade was out of the loop." She smiles thinly, "Until I put him in the picture."

I frown in confusion and then my heart sinks as I watch Jean nodding gently.

"Wade was horrified and agreed to help me however he could. He got me access to pertinent files and was very worried about Anna." Jean's smile has disappeared and she closes her eyes as she swallows hard. "When we realised Mystique was hunting for Anna, we warned her off but she was determined. I still don't know what her agenda is in all this but nevertheless she found Anna and I knew that we had to get someone in there to speak to Anna."

"What did Mystique tell her?" Logan frowns slightly.

Jean opens her eyes and looks up at us both. "She couldn't say much – Anna was always guarded. And Wade had the same difficulty when he approached her."

"What?" I gasp slightly.

Jean shrugs her shoulders, "He was worried about her and flew out to see if he could find her for himself. He managed to speak to her the day of the attack. And that was something none of us had expected."

"Why did the FBI attack? I thought you had 'convinced' them of the need to protect her?" I ask.

"So did we. But we had not considered the possibility that they would go to such extremes to destroy all evidence of the experiments that had been carried out in their name."

I nod slowly in understanding, "They wanted to eradicate all the evidence. They knew after we escaped the laboratory that they could be exposed."

Jean smiles thinly in confirmation and then frowns as she considers how to continue. "With Wade and Mystique already there, we had decided to extract Anna somehow. But the FBI took that possibility out of our hands. So Wade panicked and decided he had to intervene. He used his connections to organise his own extraction." She shakes her head slowly, "And we all know how badly that turned out."

"So …" I swallow back the lump in my throat and groan in dismay. "Wade was working with you?"

Jean nods slightly and her frown deepens. "Anna must never know this." She cautions softly and glances from me to Logan. "Never."

"Oh god …" I groan and can feel my headache intensifying. The room has fallen silent after all that Jean has revealed and I am at a loss for words.

"Wait a second," Logan says after a while and glances at me before then turning back to Jean. "You said you needed to know who was behind all this? So you used her as _bait _!"

My heart is racing as I listen to Logan and I watch Jean, praying that she'll deny the accusation. When she then slowly nods my heart sinks and I back away slowly, bumping into a cabinet that I then lean on for support.

"Oh god, Jean …" Logan groans in dismay, "I know you and the Prof have had some other agenda with all of this … but that's low …"

_Don't blame Jean. It was my idea._

The voice is clear in my mind and I close my eyes. Soon I hear the elevator door opening somewhere down the corridor and then there is a familiar gentle whirring of his wheelchair motor.

"We needed time." Charles explains gently as he guides his chair through to the laboratory. "We could not take the chance of whoever was behind all this coming after her here." He glances at me and his smile fades a little. "No matter how safe we may have made ourselves, I will never risk the children in such a manner."

"And?" Logan asks gruffly. "Has it worked? Was it worth it?"

I glance at him and sense an anger in him that matches my own and it's odd for us to be on the same side in an argument. A welcome change but still odd.

"It has gone far better than we could have hoped for." The professor confirms and his smile returns.

"Oh. Good." I can't help the sarcasm that laces my voice and see Charles' smile falter for a moment.

"So. What have you find out?" Logan enquires.

"We'll call a meeting later and tell you all together." Charles says softly.

"Fuck that!" I shout suddenly and watch him flinch a little. "You've been lying to us for all this time! The least you can do is tell us what the hell you have discovered."

"Scott …" The professor sighs slightly, "There's no need to get angry."

"Oh no?" I demand furiously, "You want to go and tell Anna that?" I step towards him and point in the direction of the house above us. "She's so confused and hurt."

"We know, Scott." Jean agrees quietly. "But we had little choice."

"Oh, bullshit!" I spin back to see her looking up at me in dismay. "You knew exactly what you were doing! You were using her! You sent her out there and destroyed what chance she ever had of adjusting to all this! And god knows if she'll ever recover."

"She just needs time." Charles offers.

"Time?" I can't help but laugh and shake my head in wonder. "What she needs is for you to get up there and take all this away!"

Jean sighs heavily and stands from her chair. She steps towards me and reaches out to place her hand on my arm. "You know we can't do that."

"You did it to the fucking FBI!" I retort.

"Scott," Logan offers calmly. "There's no way of knowing if it would make things better or worse."

"Anything would be better than what she is going through right now!" I argue angrily and glare at him for seemingly swapping sides. "You haven't seen the mess she's in! You haven't heard the pain in her voice and seen the fear in her eyes! She can't cope with all this."

"That's for Anna to decide." Charles counters.

"But she didn't decide, Charles … you did." I watch him for a moment and shake my head in dismay. "I can't believe this." I step back to lean again on the low cabinet and suddenly feel dizzy again. My head is spinning and I take a moment to catch my breath.

"Hey … you okay?" Jean timidly moves closer to me and grasps my wrist.

My unusually high metabolism means that my pulse is usually a little faster than most peoples but right now it's really speeding and I look up to see Jean calculating the rate with her watch. She frowns in concern and then places the back of her hand against my forehead.

"God, you're hot!" Jean gasps.

"I'm fine." I say softly. "I'm just tired." I look from her to the professor and sigh heavily. "Tired and confused."

"I'm sorry that you feel we have done wrong." Charles begins gently and guides his wheelchair closer to me. "But you have to understand that there is far more at stake here than just Anna. And you must believe that the decisions we have made were not easy."

I nod slowly. I'm not convinced but suddenly I'm too tired to argue any longer. All I want to do right now is crawl into bed and sleep. Preferably with Anna.

"As soon as Hank returns, we will all sit down and talk. It'll be easier than having to tell the news repeatedly." Charles glances up at Jean and smiles thinly. "And we have some things to discuss first."

"Trust us." Jean adds gently and watches me in concern for a moment.

"That's what we told Anna." Logan growls under his breath and shakes his head as he wanders back towards the hanger.

I try to hide my smile as I watch him leave and then I silently wander from the laboratory.

XXXXX

I wasn't sure where to go at first. I'm too agitated to rest but not in the mood for anything too active. And I don't know if I would have the strength even if I were. Then my stomach started to growl and my decision was made. I wandered through to the kitchen and heard Ororo's gentle tones as I padded along the hall.

She is laughing at something as I enter the room and I smile as I see whom she is talking to. Anna still looks tired and tearstains mark her cheeks but it is good to see her giggling.

"What are you two scheming?" I chuckle in amusement.

"Nothing." Ororo shrugs. "Just girl talk."

"Yeah, you don't want to know!" Anna grins up at me.

"You okay?" Ororo frowns slightly, "You look awful."

"Thanks!" I laugh in wonder and turn to Anna. "Unlike our patient here, who looks great but still should really be resting."

Anna blushes slightly and looks down at the coffee in her hands. "I was hungry."

"Uh-oh! Lock up the ice cream!" I smile softly.

"Yeah!" Anna laughs, "I did go a bid mad for it a while back. But my latest crave is coffee."

"De-caf, of course." Ororo adds.

"Oh god, yeah! Or I'd be climbing the walls!" Anna grins and her smile then fades as she sees me regarding her in concern.

I sense her becoming uncomfortable and look away from her to smile at Ororo. "So. How was Washington?"

"Interesting." Ororo nods.

I watch her for a moment and catch a glimpse of something in her eyes. She knows. She was not kept out of the loop. But then she wasn't considered a risk. She would not have stolen a jet and taken off to find Anna as we had. All be it too late.

"I'm going to get a shower." Ororo announces after a while and smiles at Anna. "We can talk more later, if you like?"

"I would." Anna nods eagerly and watches Ororo leave.

"How you doing?" I ask softly and step further into the kitchen.

Anna smiles and regards me in interest for a moment. "I was about to ask you the same thing."

"Oh, I'm okay." I shrug and can see in her eyes that she doesn't believe me.

"Look at the mess the pair of us are in!" Anna smiles suddenly, "Maybe they should lock us both up in a health spa or something."

"I can think of worse plans." I agree merrily and sit down beside her at the table.

"I just need a new head." Anna offers softly.

I don't want to recite false reassurances to her. I'm really not sure if she ever will be okay. And now I'm suddenly wondering what will happen when all this eventually ends. I realise that she might leave again and it frightens me how powerful the emotions are that surge within me at that thought.

"How am I going to do this, Scott?"

I look into her eyes and frown slightly.

"I'm going to have a baby …" Anna looks down at her abdomen and runs her hands over the swelling beneath her t-shirt. "I'm going to be a mom."

I watch her in wonder for a moment and find it hard to imagine that this is the same frightened person that a few months ago wanted nothing but to destroy the thing inside her.

"I know there's a chance he'll not be 'normal'," Anna continues and looks back up at me. "But he's my son." She takes a deep breath and shakes her head slowly. "I keep thinking about contacting my mother for advice. But Jean said that might not be a good idea."

I nod in understanding and reach out to place my hand over hers. I want to tell her to go with her instincts and do whatever she needs to do. It's an unusual suggestion for the sensible leader that I am. But then, lots of things have changed recently. Not least the feeling that perhaps Anna should not listen to Jean's advice.

"Do you know what I mean?" Anna frowns up at me. "Do you ever see your mom?"

"My mom died when I was a boy."

"Oh god … I'm sorry." Anna groans.

"You weren't to know." I shrug and smile down at her. "But … yeah … I know what you mean … there are times when I wish I could talk to her." Like now, I add to myself.

"I guess you can go to Charles, though." Anna offers.

"Yeah," I smile thinly.

"I just can't believe that only a few days ago … I was painting the nursery and starting to prepare for this." Anna looks down again at her pregnancy and lays her free hand over mine. "I was almost ready … and now I'm back to panic mode. I've got nothing … all of his things were in the house …"

I chuckle slightly and squeeze her fingers in mine. "Are you saying we need to go shopping?"

Anna looks up at me and there is confusion amid the fresh tears that are forming. "If only it was that easy."

"I'm sorry," I sigh and shake my head slowly, "I didn't mean to - "

"It's okay." Anna dismisses and closes her eyes as she turns away from me.

"I'm here for you, Anna." I say gently and hold my breath as she looks back at me.

"I know." Anna nods.

"No. I don't think you do." I continue, my heart racing as she frowns up at me. Suddenly I want to tell her. How we didn't know where she was but how long we searched. How painful it was to decide that we should give up. How I've done nothing but think of her since she has been away.

"Don't play with me, Scott." Anna sighs and stands quickly to walk from the kitchen.

Oh fuck. Why did I have to say anything? She's confused enough, without me adding to the mix. But somehow I don't feel as bad as perhaps I ought to. Part of me is relieved that I've started this. And it's all I can do to let her have some space and not hurry after her to tell her more.


	11. Chapter 11

_**ANNA**_

This house is huge. And with all the children away the emptiness is obvious. But I can't find anywhere to be alone. Ironic really, that I've felt so isolated for so long and wanted nothing but company, to now be wishing that they were not here right now.

I didn't want to go to my room. I've done enough crying within those four magnolia walls. And it would be too easy for him to find me.

I've never been to the library, so I headed along the corridor in what I thought was the right direction and heard music playing from the end room. She didn't notice me peering in through the partially open door and I watch her for a moment as she dabs at her wet hair with the towel she has flopped over her shoulder. Ororo is humming to the music and searching the endless shelves of books, frowning as she tilts her head to read the titles on the spines.

I sigh slightly as I turn back and look down the corridor. I know Jean is talking with the professor so I dare not go past his office and I don't want to go back in the direction of the kitchen. I'm at a loss for a moment and then hear the gentle hum of the elevator moving behind the wall. I begin to hurry past the wooden panelling where I remember the door is hidden and I groan as I jog by too late.

"Anna? You okay?"

It would be rude to not stop and at least make some reason to hurry along and I'm trying to quickly think up an excuse to not be in his company right now. I know they must all think that I'm totally loopy and perhaps just saying that I want to be alone will be enough for him to back off. But now he is walking towards me and frowning at me in concern.

"You okay?" Logan asks again.

He should know better than anyone that the answer is a definite 'no'. And now my heart is racing. He does know. He has been experimented on. He has been through this. And now I don't know what to say.

"Are you lost?"

I can't help the chuckle that leaves my tight throat and then I swallow back the lump that is developing there. "In more ways than you know." I manage dryly.

Logan hesitates for a moment and then steps closer to me. "You want to talk?" he asks timidly.

I look into his face and for the first time realise that he's actually not as scary as I had decided he was. And now I'm examining his features, trying to imagine what my son might look like.

"Anna?"

I realise that I'm staring at him and I look away quickly, heat rising in my cheeks. Then I remember his offer and I close my eyes as I shake my head. I don't want to talk anymore. I've done enough talking. Although Jean will no doubt insist on more at some stage. Right now I just want someone to tell me what is going to happen now and what the hell I should do.

"I'm sorry that you're afraid of me, Anna." Logan sighs in dismay. "But I guess I can't blame you."

I look back up at him and can see that he is remembering the first time we met. But all I can recall now is our more recent encounter and how he defended me from the soldiers. "I'm scared of everything, Logan. It's not just you."

"Okay." Logan relaxes a little and a smile dances on his mouth as he nods. Then his frown returns and he steps closer to me. "But you're safe here now … you do know that."

"Yeah." I agree quietly. "It's not that. Its …" I watch him for a moment and see genuine concern in his eyes. "It's the future."

Logan smiles and again nods gently. "But the fact that you are considering the future is a good sign."

Oh god. He's been talking to Jean. She's probably clued him up on all the correct things to say.

"I know what it's like to feel that a future is something you'll never have." Logan continues softly.

I can feel fresh tears welling now as I look into his sincere face and realise not only how I have misjudged him but also how much we have in common.

"Let's go for a walk." Logan suggests softly, "If you're feeling well enough?"

"I am." I nod and follow him through the hall.

XXXXX

I've got nothing with me at the mansion. All of my things were left in the wrecked house. But Jean and Ororo have leant me some clothes. It was sweet of them to think of me but most of the clothes have no chance of accommodating my bump and I smile as I recall laughing with Jean last night when she presented me with them. She had then raided Scott's wardrobe and had offered to ask all the guys to pitch in. So I'm sitting here in Jean's jogging pants and sneakers, Scott's T-shirt and jumper, and now Logan's jacket.

"You warm enough?" Logan smiles down at me.

I cross my legs beneath me and snuggle deeper into the soft, torn leather of his jacket. It smells of cigars and gasoline and I can well imagine that it has never been and will never be through a washing machine. But it's very cosy and I pull the sleeves over my hands as I nod contentedly.

"Jean will probably have a fit if she finds us out here." Logan chuckles and nods towards the frozen lake.

We've settled here on the jetty beside the boathouse and I glance back to just glimpse the chimneys of the mansion above the trees. I had no idea that the grounds extended out this far and I look around at the woodland that surrounds the lake. I'm tired from the walk down here and my shoulder and back are throbbing gently. It probably isn't the best idea to be out here but the fresh breeze feels good on my face and there's less of a chill in the air now that the day has warmed up slightly.

"This is a good place to sit and think." Logan offers gently and takes a long drag on his cigar. He exhales the smoke in a delicate plume and then turns to smile at me. "Except in the summer when all the kids are out here playing."

I laugh softly and nod in agreement. I can imagine the lake filled with boats and children swimming and splashing around. Somehow I get the idea that on hot summer days the adults shed their responsibilities for a moment and dive in as well. And I smile as I wonder if late night skinny-dipping is not unheard of here.

"I've never gotten over it." Logan says suddenly.

I push the playful summer scene I had created to the back of my mind and turn to Logan. A shudder runs through me as I see the pain in his face and I watch as he gazes out over the thin ice of the lake.

"The experiments, the memories … they surface sometimes but I still can't remember everything."

I listen to him sigh and then he falls silent. I pull his jacket further around me and nestle my chin into the collar.

"I know that they did something to my memory so I wouldn't remember … but I think that it's also my mind trying to protect me." Logan continues and looks down at his hands. "Jean and the Prof have looked into my head and together we've pieced together the basics."

I nod in understanding and take a deep breath. "But perhaps the things you can't quite remember are best left alone."

Logan turns to me and smiles thinly. "I have enough fuel for my nightmares already."

I cannot stop the tears that suddenly begin to fall and I close my eyes. I am aware of Logan moving slightly closer to me and I sense that he wants to comfort me but he is somehow wary. I can't believe I got him so wrong and I feel bad for the way I have reacted to him. We share a familiar pain and I wish I had recognised it sooner. And I'm not sure if it's for myself or for him that I lean towards him and rest my head on his shoulder.

XXXXX

We've sat here in silence for a long while and I'm listening to the sounds around us. The wind has picked up and I can hear it moving through the branches of the trees. There's distant chatter from birds somewhere and the water is lapping under us amid the broken ice among the jetty supports. Logan was right. This is a good place to sit and think and I'm glad he brought me here. And I'm grateful for his arm around my shoulders.

The silence between us is comfortable. A mutual understanding that there is no need to speak. But now I have questions and I lean back from him.

"What is it?" Logan asks gently, pulling his arm back a little and resting his hand on my shoulder.

"What is the healing like?"

Logan shrugs his shoulders and takes a deep breath. "I don't really think about it." He offers and then seems to understand what I'm asking. I want to know what my son will be like. "I feel pain like anyone else but cuts and bruises just seem to heal immediately. Bigger wounds take a little longer and it's sore when bones are regenerating but … not being like everyone else, I don't know exactly how different it feels."

I smile up at him. "It's quite a useful mutation, though."

"I guess." Logan smiles and then his face becomes serious. "Although, I don't know whether I'd choose it."

I watch him for a moment and remember that it is because of his mutation that he was experimented on. "I'm sorry." I offer and see his smile return. "What would you choose?"

Logan chuckles softly and shakes his head in wonder. "I don't know."

"I'd like to be able to see the future." I say quietly.

"Nah. I don't think that's all it's cracked up to be."

"Oh?"

Logan shrugs, "Well, there'd never be any surprises."

"That's not so bad." I laugh gently.

"And there'd be no risk, no excitement. You'd always know what was going to happen and you'd never take a chance." Logan argues gently and then chuckles to himself, "Mind you, ol' One-Eye would approve."

I frown up at him and then work out whom he's referring to. "Does he know you call him that?" I laugh in wonder.

"Sure! Oh, I've called him all sorts of things. Isn't that right, frat-boy?" Logan shouts and grins as he turns to look behind us.

I move round and see Scott striding towards us along the edge of the trees. I can't hear his footfalls from this distance and I'm amazed that Logan can. I watch Scott approach and see him smile in greeting.

"What did you call me?" Scott frowns at Logan.

"Nothing." Logan replies quickly and winks at me before turning back to Scott. "What's up?"

"Hank's heading back and Charles wants us all to gather in the conference room."

"Oh. That was quick." Logan frowns.

Scott shrugs and shivers slightly, shoving his hands into the pockets of his coat. "Ten minutes." He orders softly and smiles before turning to head back.

I watch him in intrigue and wonder why he came out here. Jean or the professor must have searched for us and could have easily delivered a mental message at the same time. I see the hesitation in his step as he begins back up the gentle slope and I swallow hard before I quickly stand.

"Wait for us, then!" I call after Scott and my heart sinks as he glances back at me and then continues on. It takes me a moment to reach him and I wonder why Logan is keeping his distance. "Scott?" I urge as I near him and then see in his face the anger that Logan must have sensed from him.

Logan smiles at me as he strides up to us and then he glances at Scott. "I'll meet you guys back at the house." He offers.

I watch him leave and then turn back to Scott. "What's wrong?" I ask gently.

Scott's frown softens and he sighs heavily. "Nothing."

I look into his face and then see my reflection in his glasses. And the jacket I'm hugging close to me. Suddenly I realise that I did not imagine the way he was looking at me in the kitchen before. And the suspicion I had about how he feels about me is confirmed as I recognise the jealousy he seems to be feeling now.

I can understand how it must seem to him. Suddenly the Anna that he knew who could be close to no man except him was now spending time alone with Logan. And is avoiding him. But he doesn't know that I'm avoiding him because I am afraid of how much I want to be near him.

"A lot has happened since we last met, Scott." I offer softly and smile up at him. "I've changed." My heart is racing as he watches me in silence and I can't read his sombre expression. "I'm not the person I was."

Scott nods slowly and I swallow hard. Of course, he knows I'm different. He saw the bodies of the men I killed. He heard my insane ranting about wanting to be Emily. Perhaps I have read him wrong after all and it is nothing more than friendly concern behind his red glasses.

"I know." Scott says quietly and takes a deep breath. "I know what you've been through, Anna and – believe me – if I could have prevented it somehow, I would have."

"I don't blame _you_, Scott." I gasp slightly. "You mustn't think that."

"I don't," Scott smiles thinly, "But _I_ blame me." He pauses for a moment and steps closer to me. "I keep thinking that I should never have listened to Charles and I should have fought harder to keep you here with us."

I shake my head determinedly and reach out to place my hand on his arm. "No. It's not your fault. For whatever reason, it was safer for me to leave. And no one could have foreseen what was going to happen." I can feel tears welling again as I listen to my own rational argument and feel relieved that I have not gone crazy after all. "And we can't change what happened. We just have to deal with it and move on."

Scott suddenly smiles at me and nods slightly. "You really have changed."

"I'm stronger." I agree quietly and frown as I realise the truth of that. "And maybe I had to go through all this in order to be stronger."

"Yeah … maybe." Scott's frown has returned and he slowly reaches up to place his hand on my cheek.

His fingers are trembling and I place my hand over his to feel how cold his skin is. "We should go back into the warm." I suggest and begin to move past him. I gasp slightly as he grabs my arm and gently pulls me back to face him.

"Anna …"

"Don't do this, Scott."

"Why?"

"_Why _!" I laugh slightly and then see the pain that crosses his face. "Oh god, Scott. There are a hundred different reasons why."

He shakes his head and steps up close to me again. "You may have changed, Anna … but I haven't."

Again his hand is on my face and I hold my breath as he sighs.

"I want you … just as much as I did before you left."

I can't believe what he's saying. He has Jean. I'm damaged goods. And the movement inside me reminds me that I come with baggage. I stare at him in wonder and for some reason am expecting him to morph into Mystique. But behind his lenses I can see the pattern of energy that I am sure she could not recreate.

And now I'm remembering how it felt to be held by him and how I missed him. But I don't think I can deal with this in the midst of all that is already in my head.

"Scott …" I begin and am silenced as he leans towards me and suddenly his lips are against mine.

He begins to kiss me gently and then suddenly stops. "I'm sorry." Scott whispers softly across my mouth.

Before I know what I'm doing, I've reached up and put my hand on the back of his head and am pulling him back towards me. I press my lips against his and feel him moan gently as his mouth opens and our tongues meet.

"Wait - " This time it's me that pulls back and I step away from him. "We can't do this."

Scott sighs and nods slightly. He drags a hand through his hair and groans as he turns from me.

"I … we just can't." I offer quietly.

"I know." Scott husks and turns back to me. He holds my gaze for a moment and then looks down at his hands.

"We should get back."

"Yeah." Scott smiles thinly.

I start up the hill towards the mansion but soon realise that he's not following me. Turning back, I see him pinching the bridge of his nose and as I wander back to him I hear him moaning softly.

"You okay?"

"No." Scott manages.

I close my eyes and sigh heavily. "Scott … please …"

"Not that." Scott husks.

I look back up at him and see him trembling, his legs buckling beneath him. "Scott!" I hurry close to him and grab his arm to try and support him but he slumps to his knees. "Scott!"

"I …" Scott is now holding his head in his hands and sits back on his heels. "Headache."

"Oh god … you want me to get Jean?"

"No." Scott slowly shakes his head, "It'll pass."

I kneel beside him and stroke his hair back from his forehead. He feels cold and I had assumed that was due to being out here but now I can see the glistening of sweat on his skin. "You're not well, Scott. I should get help."

"No." Scott lifts his head and sighs as he straightens up. "It's just a cold. I'll be fine." He sniffs and dabs as his nose with the back of his hand.

I gasp as I see the blood smeared on his face.

"What?" Scott frowns and then looks down at the blood on the back of his hand. "I've not had a nosebleed for years." He says in wonder and glances back up at me to smile thinly. "It's okay, Anna."

"Bullshit!" I help him stand and watch him swaying unsteadily.

"I'm fine!" Scott laughs gently, "It started yesterday – it's just a cold. I've felt like this before."

I grip his arm and help him begin slowly towards the mansion. "Whatever. I still think you should get checked out."

"Jean will just tell me that I'm making a fuss."

"I don't think so!" I chuckle softly, "Look at the state you're in!"

"Tell me about it." Scott sighs.

I close my eyes as he stops walking and it's a moment before I summon the courage to look up into his sincere face. Blood is trickling from his nose and he looks suddenly very pale.

Scott dabs his nose with the cuff of his jacket and takes a deep breath. "Tell me I'm imagining it all, Anna." He says quietly, his tight voice almost a whisper. "Tell me you don't feel it."

I watch his lips trembling and can hear the emotion in his voice. "I can't." I manage softly.

"Oh, Anna … what are we going to do?" Scott sighs and steps closer to me, resting his forehead against mine as he moans softly.

"Nothing." I reply carefully and swallow back the lump in my throat as I close my eyes.

Scott groans slightly and I can feel him nodding gently. His hands are on my shoulders and I am aware of him leaning more heavily against me. I step back from him a little to help steady him and gasp as I see the blood that is now seeping under the rim of his glasses.

"Anna." Scott husks wearily, "I really don't feel well."

"Come on." I urge quickly, "Let's get you back to the house."

We made our slow way back to the mansion and I hurried through to the conference room. I was breathless as I neared the door and then gasped as Jean came flying from the room. I couldn't quite catch my breath to explain what had happened and nodded in relief as she smiled at me in reassurance and then hurried past me into the lounge where Scott had slumped into one of the sofas.

I helped her take him down to the infirmary and she must have sent Hank a telepathic message because he was hurrying in from the other direction as we arrived. They are now busy rigging Scott up to all manner of diagnostic equipment and I watch in silence from my chair in the corner.

"Why didn't you say you were feeling unwell?" Jean asks Scott softly, stroking back his fringe from his flushed face.

Scott's teeth are chattering and he is clenching his jaw as he shivers violently. Somehow he manages a slight smile and shrugs his shoulders.

"He said it started yesterday." I offer cautiously. Jean glances at me and nods in gratitude before turning back to Scott.

Scott is gently moaning as he shudders and he gasps as Jean begins to undress him. "I'm … cold." He manages.

"No, you're running a fever." Jean argues softly, "We need to cool you down."

"The symptoms match, Jean." Hank mutters quietly and shares a worried glance with her before continuing to draw blood from Scott's trembling arm.

"Symptoms of what?" I demand and stand to step closer to the bed.

Scott turns his head towards me and a brief smile crosses his mouth. "Anna … my Anna …" He whispers and then begins to cough weakly.

"He's delirious." Jean sighs in dismay and hurries over to one of the cupboards to gather various packets and bottles of medicines. "We need to work on him. Perhaps it would be better if you left." She offers softly as she places her collection of drugs on the table beside Scott.

"But …" I look down at Scott and see the blood that is now trickling from his mouth. "What is it? What's wrong with him?"

"A virus."

I spin round and see the professor guiding his chair through the door to the infirmary. Pain crosses his face as he regards Scott for a moment and it fades as he smiles thinly up at me.

"A virus?" I frown.

The professor nods slowly as he nears me and takes a deep breath. "It would appear that the cover the scientists used was not a cover."

"What?" I gasp and look back at Scott. He is now gasping for breath and Jean has placed an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth. The thin plastic muffles his moans but he coughs again and blood splatters against the inside of the mask. "Oh my god …" I groan.

"Perhaps we should talk." Charles offers gently and reaches up to place his hand on my arm.

"But …" I can't tear my eyes from Scott's face and the agony that he is straining against. I wonder if perhaps he is trying to be brave because I am here and I can feel tears welling in my eyes.

"Go with Charles." Jean smiles thinly in reassurance as she turns to me. "We'll take care of him."

"Come on, Anna." The professor agrees and pulls gently on my arm.

My heart sinks as Jean looks away from me and begins to wipe Scott's wet face with a cold cloth. But I saw that. The hate in her eyes as she regarded me. She must know what passed between Scott and me in the garden. Either that or…

"Oh shit …" I groan softly and close my eyes. After a moment I turn to look down at the professor and I swallow back the lump in my throat. "That's why you sent me away, isn't it." I manage huskily and see the sadness in his eyes that confirms what I have realised. "I'm carrying a virus."

XXXXX

I sip slowly on the whiskey that the professor poured for me and my hands are shaking as I grip the glass tightly. He led me through here to the laboratory next to the infirmary and is sitting with me in silence while I calm down.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I ask quietly and lift my head to see him regarding me in concern.

"Because we were not sure." Charles smiles thinly, "Hank found the code in the baby's DNA but originally thought that it was a marker that resulted from the genetic engineering."

"The baby?" I gasp and watch the professor nodding slowly. "But … they said they were creating perfect mutants. Soldiers."

"That is indeed what we were led to believe." Charles sighs and laces his fingers together, resting the tips against his tight lips. "But they were, in fact, creating carriers."

I cover my mouth with my hand and feel the tears that seep over my fingers.

The professor takes a deep breath and guides his chair closer to me. He reaches out and places his hand on my shoulder. "This is not your fault, Anna."

"No?" I turn to glare at him suddenly and a sob escapes my lips. "But I brought this here … I infected Scott." And I slump back against my chair as I realise that everyone must be affected. The virus must have seeped through the mansion and now everyone is at risk. "Oh god … the children …"

The door beside us then opens and I look up as Hank strides into the room. He smiles thinly and sighs as he grabs a chair and joins us by the bank of computers.

"Well?" I ask urgently.

"His blood analysis confirms the presence of a genetically engineered retro-virus." Hank nods slowly. "The same virus that is contained within your baby's DNA."

I regard him in silence and try to read his even expression amid the soft blue fur. My baby. He agrees that this is my fault.

"How long?" Charles asks softly.

Hank shrugs his immense shoulders and sighs heavily. "Hard to say … twelve hours give or take. Probably less, given the blood loss and the rate of organ failure that we are already seeing."

"D.I.C." The professor nods in understanding.

"I'm sorry?" I demand anxiously, "D.I. – what?"

The professor looks back at me and shrugs an apology. "The virus was designed to attack the clotting ability of our blood. Essentially, to make the host bleed to death."

"So can't you give Scott blood? Or this clotting stuff?"

"The virus would simply destroy that as well." Hank shakes his head, "It would only prolong the inevitable."

"But there must be something you can do!" I shout furiously and see the pain that flashes across Hank's face.

"We have been analysing the samples we obtained and tried to create an anti-virus but …" Hank sighs and looks down at his hands. "We simply have not got access to the sort of equipment that we require." He looks back up at me and shrugs his shoulders. "And now we appear to have run out of time."

I regard his sad face for a moment and realise what he is implying. It won't be long before the virus spreads.

"We will take blood from everyone and try to deduce who may already be infected. We can contain the virus to the school, at least." Hank continues.

"I still don't quite understand how this happened." The professor sighs and looks at Hank. "I thought we had covered every eventuality."

I watch the two of them and frown in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"We managed to obtain a great deal of information about the virus." Hank begins quietly, "It's transmission, it's effects. It's an extremely contagious agent and we had to be absolutely certain that bringing you back here would be safe."

"We learned that the experiments were consistently failing because the virus was destroying the infected foetus." The professor adds, "Even the embryos that were created with accelerated healing were too immature to defend themselves from such a deadly pathogen. So they created a viral strain that would lay dormant inside the foetus."

"I don't understand." I shake my head slowly. "Am I infected? How did it pass to Scott?" My mind flashes back to the kiss in the garden but I remember that Scott was already feeling unwell and I close my eyes.

"You can carry the virus." Hank explains softly, "But it will cause you no harm."

I look up at him and frown slightly as my mind tries to process all this. "Because I'm not a mutant." I nod in understanding and suddenly begin to see the implications of all this. "And they want to destroy mutants."

"Beginning with their biggest threat." Charles agrees gently.

I look into his sad eyes and my heart sinks as the full reality of the past few months finally kicks in. I was so preoccupied with my own troubles. So caught up in how this affected me. I didn't stop to think about the danger that my presence bought to the school. It was never about the army or the FBI attacking the school. The threat was from within. From me.

And now it makes sense to me why Mystique was so eager to help me. She wanted me here. All of this was engineered so that I came here and brought this devastation to the school. That's why she sent me to Charles. It's why she helped us escape from the laboratory. And it's why she searched for me when Charles had sent me far away from his children.

I can feel my body trembling as I begin to realise how I was manipulated. And Wade knew. I close my eyes as I remember his words before I killed him. He was trying to warn me. And trying to protect the children. But I was blinded by the lies that I had been fed about him and the bank. And my father. The lies that Mystique handed to me on a shiny computer disc and I was so eager to believe.

I let my head fall into my hands and soon the sobs come. I'm aware of the professor moving closer to me and can now feel his cautious presence in my mind. He has known for some time what I have now pieced together and he wanted to tell me. But he knew I would never have believed him. I can hear his gentle reassurances and I am grateful for what he is trying to do but I hear him gasp as I shake my head and he pulls away.

Slowly my crying eases and I wipe my face as I sit back up straight. I look to Hank and see the tears that sit in his gentle eyes. "I still don't understand how Scott was infected." I say after a moment.

Hank watches me for a moment and then shrugs his shoulders. "It was the blood and liquor that was leaking from the wound in your back."

"What?" I gasp and can just about recall some of that journey back to the mansion. "But … then Jean must be infected. And Logan. And you."

Hank shakes his head slowly and gives me a thin smile. "Myself and Jean were wearing gloves. And Logan's healing makes him immune in the same way that your baby will be immune."

"Immune but able to pass it on to everyone." I remind him worriedly and begin to wonder who Logan might have been in contact with. Now suddenly my mind is filled with an image of a house filled with screaming, bleeding mutants and the two of us as the only survivors. I feel the movement inside me and look down at my abdomen. Or the three of us.

I look back up at Hank and a flicker of hope appears somewhere in my mind. "But you said the virus was dormant."

"It was." Hank nods, "It was designed to be triggered by air exposure."

"Oh god …" I groan and look back down at the bump beneath my jumper. Suddenly I'm back to thinking of my son as a monster again.

"It was the perfect plan." The professor sighs suddenly, "No one would ever suspect that a baby could cause such devastation."

I look up into his sombre face and swallow back the lump in my throat. I could easily believe it. I am living the nightmare that this baby is the centre of.

"They would be born to normal, healthy mothers and the virus would be carried throughout the ward, the hospital, the community." Charles continues, "And society would never question the sudden illness that gradually destroyed the mutants that they so fear."

I nod in understanding. "Even if they did, they would not be able to trace it back to the children that are living among them and ensuring a never ending supply of the virus."

"Precisely." Charles smiles thinly and then takes a deep breath. "But … thus far there is only one child that we need to be concerned about."

"That we know of." I remind him softly and then shake my head slowly. "And you guys were the test to see if the plan would work." I look to Hank and see him nod in agreement. "So, the rest of you should be safe so long as the baby is not born."

"That would be my assumption, yes." Hank nods, "If we can ensure that all necessary precautions are in place, then we should be able to contain the virus."

"But Logan - "

"Is confined to his room for now." The professor says quickly, "He's not very impressed but he understands."

"And Ororo?" I ask quickly.

"Was with me in Washington. She has been careful."

I sigh in relief and then recall that Ororo was indeed carefully keeping her distance from me. "And you're sure that the children will be safe?"

"As sure as we can be." Hank replies, "The virus does not survive long without moisture. There was hardly any active trace in the dried blood on the floor of the jet." He smiles thinly, "And that is why we were not worried at first. But Scott's hands were not covered and even the slightest graze would have been enough to …"

I look across to the door to the infirmary and close my eyes. We sit together in silence. The air heavy with our combined grief.

"Oh no …" The professor groans suddenly.

I look up and see him turning towards the open door into the corridor beyond. Soon the noise of the elevator can be heard and my heart begins to race as then I hear someone running towards the laboratory.

"Jean! Hank!"

Hank stands quickly and hurries from the room. He almost collides with Ororo and steadies her as she falls against him breathlessly.

"Hank!" She gasps, "Two of the children are sick!"


	12. Chapter 12

_**JEAN**_

As dangerous as it is, I had to give him a sedative. He was starting to panic as he struggled for breath and I couldn't bear it. Now I'm wandering if the sedative was really for my benefit.

But watching his defences lowering as the drug enters his system is not something I relish. He slipped into unconsciousness a few moments ago and it has crossed my mind that he may never again wake up.

There's not a lot more that we can do. And now that Hank has gone next door to talk to Charles I can sit here alone and let the reality of how little I can do wash over me. We were so close. We had figured out the mechanics of the virus and creating a cure seemed just a matter of time. But now that possibility seems well out of our reach.

It's not like me to simply sit here and sob. But I do. I stare through my tears at the lifeless hand in my grasp and my chest aches.

Suddenly the monitor beside the bed bleeps a warning and drags me from my thoughts. I wipe my face and watch in horror as the readout chants the fall in Scott's oxygen levels. I stand and turn up the oxygen flow rate, watching with baited breath as the levels slowly rise. Turning away from the monitor, I can see the grey hint to Scott's lips and I close my eyes. It won't be long before he'll have to be intubated.

I reach out and stroke his hair back from his face. It doesn't feel right to be touching him through the thin latex of my gloves but, as much as I'm sure that we all must be infected by now, I have decided to show willing. The others are looking to me for guidance. I can't let them see that I am giving in. Hank has even recommended that we should wear masks but I've taken the chance that Scott won't be coughing over me.

He never will. The thought hits me hard and I sink back into my chair. I fall forward and rest my head on the edge of the bed to let fresh tears flow into the sheets.

And then I sense it from somewhere in the back of my thoughts. The panic that is arising in her mind. I sit up straight and listen to her frightened shouts in the corridor.

"Ro?" I step from the infirmary and see her clutching Hank to her in despair.

"I'll go and get them." Hank offers quickly and shoots me a concerned glance as he covers his mouth and nose with a mask and hurries towards the elevator.

"Oh god, Jean!" Ororo stumbles towards me and shakes her head in disbelief.

"Who?" I ask softly. Not that it makes any difference but I don't know what else to say.

She watches me for a moment and wipes her tearstained face. "Jubilee and Kitty."

I nod slowly. They are only the first of many. I watch as she peers past me through the open door to the infirmary and I see the pain that crosses her face.

"How is he?" Ororo asks carefully.

I stare at her in horror and suddenly want to laugh. He's dying. My only hope at this point is that he'll go into heart failure and it will be fast. But it's more likely that he'll simply drown from the blood that is pooling in his lungs.

"Jean?"

I turn away from Ororo and begin back towards the infirmary. If she asks me anything else stupid like whether I'm okay, I think I'll lose it. I hear her head back towards the elevator as I continue into the room and begin preparing two extra beds for the new patients that Hank is retrieving. And now I'm wondering how we're going to fit everyone into the infirmary. It would probably be easier to care for them in their beds. We could give them all sedation. Perhaps a little too much.

"He's so cold."

I turn slowly and see Anna standing beside Scott's bed. She is stroking his cheek and suddenly I can feel anger rising within me. She brought this here. This is all her fault. And as she blinks away tears, I remember the brief image that I caught in Scott's thoughts and I want her to leave. I don't care where she goes. Just far away from us.

"Is there anything I can do?" Anna asks quietly.

I hold her steady gaze for a moment and want to tell her yes. She can get the hell out of our lives.

_Don't do this, Jean._

I glance beyond Anna and see him guiding his wheelchair into the infirmary.

_She is not to blame._

_No? Then who is?_

_I am._

I frown at him in horror and shake my head slowly.

_I underestimated them, Jean. I thought we were ahead of them. My arrogance caused this. I am so sorry._

The aching in my chest intensifies as I watch Charles move closer to the bed and I hear him gasp as he looks up at Scott. His first recruit. His leader. His son. And I can't bear to watch the pain on his face as he gazes in despair at the still form in the bed. I turn away and continue gathering provisions for the imminent arrivals.

_I'll be next door if you need me._

I glance back and watch the professor leaving. I wish _I_ could just leave. I have to stay here and try in vain to keep my lover alive. But I feel guilty for my anger towards the professor as I see his shoulders shaking with the tears he is allowing to fall as he disappears from sight.

"There must be _something_."

I turn back and glare at Anna angrily. So it might be unfair to place all the blame at her feet. But she's a convenient target right now.

"Something we've overlooked maybe." She gently places her hand over Scott's and sighs heavily. "Something."

I watch her frown as she traces the dark lines that mottle his skin where his circulation is deteriorating. She shakes her head in disbelief and as she looks up at me I see a determination in her eyes that has long abandoned me.

"This can't happen." Anna says quietly. "It's not right."

I can't help but laugh and throw my hands into the air as I walk towards her. "Right? None of this is _right_ ! But it's happened. It's too late."

Her face is sombre as she holds me in her gaze and she nods slowly. "Hank said twelve hours."

"At best." I agree quietly. But most of that will probably be spent in a coma, I add to myself. I watch as she takes a deep breath and looks back at Scott. He's sitting up in the bed against the pillows and it would be easy to believe that he is simply resting. But his glasses show a tell-tale dullness. I guess I could take them off of him now but that would mean that I have accepted that he'll never have need of the ruby quartz barrier. And I'm not ready to face the fact that he may never open his eyes again.

I look back at Anna and can't believe she's so calm. She freaks at everything. How come she gets to be the one in control of her emotions now? I want to touch her thoughts, to see what her secret is for dealing with this now. But I'm afraid of what I might find there as I see the tender way that she is stroking his fingers. I saw in Scott's mind the kiss that they shared and although I know that Scott will never let it develop further, their closeness is enough pain for now.

"Jean!"

I spin round as Hank hurries into the infirmary and lays Kitty on one of the examination beds. I'm instantly switched back into doctor mode and I rush over to help him stabilise her condition. Jubilee is still conscious and I look up as Ororo helps her stagger into the room.

"Dr. Grey?" Jubilee's face is filled with dread as she stares across the room at Scott.

I hurry over to her and smile in reassurance. "It's okay. You'll be okay." My heart sinks as she nods and relaxes back against the bed. Absolute faith. She has no idea how badly we are going to let her down.

"I don't understand how this happened." Ororo mutters under breath and looks up at me in fear. "We kept them confined to their rooms like you said."

"I don't know." I sigh and turn to Hank. He shakes his head slowly and I look down at the still form of Kitty. Her face is smeared with the blood from her nose and eyes and she is beginning to convulse from the fever. I step over to her bedside and hold her arm steady so Hank can inject drugs to try and bring her temperature down.

"What's this?" I lean down and take a closer look at the deep burn on Kitty's hand. "Jubilee?"

Jubilee shrugs her shoulders and avoids my gaze.

"Jubilee, how did Kitty hurt her hand?"

"Is it really important, right now?" Ororo asks quietly and frowns at me in concern.

"Yes! Jubilee, please. You won't be in trouble. I just need to know."

"I set fire to her pillow." Jubilee replies and shakes her head in dismay. "We were only playing! We were bored and Kitty started a pillow fight. I was just defending myself but … I'm real sorry, Dr. Grey."

I can't help but smile and I place my hand on her shoulder. They are just children and they need our attention, which has been sadly lacking over the past few days. And some of them are still struggling to control their gifts. Still, one charred pillow is nothing to worry about.

"That must be the site of infection." Hank mumbles as he walks round to look at the burn for himself. "The scab hasn't quite sealed."

I nod in agreement and look back at Jubilee. "Have you got any cuts or grazes?"

"No."

"Kitty was coughing this morning." Hank gasps suddenly and then sighs in dismay as he places an immense gloved hand on Kitty's forehead. "I had thought nothing of it."

"What is it, Dr. Grey?" Jubilee is crying softly now and sniffs as she leans back against the bed. "What's wrong with Kitty? And Mr. Summers?"

I watch silently as Ororo gives Jubilee a tissue and she dabs at her eyes. It's no surprise to me as I see the blood on the tissue and I hold my breath as Jubilee sees the bright staining and turns to look at Kitty.

"Oh my god!" Jubilee sobs and her hands are shaking as she looks back up at me. "What's happening to us!"

"It's alright, Jubilee."

Charles' voice suddenly washes around the immense room and I smile as I see the effect that his presence has on everyone here. His soothing tone is utterly believable and I can feel my tense shoulders relax a little as he crosses the room.

"What is it, professor? What is making us sick?"

"A virus." Charles replies softly.

"What, like a cold or something?" Jubilee frowns as she watches him nod and she then glances at her friend, "But it's much worse than that. Why are they unconscious?"

"They need all their strength to fight the infection." The professor answers calmly, "It's a very nasty virus and their bodies are tired from getting rid of it."

I watch Jubilee relax slightly and I turn to smile at Charles. He's not really lying. He knows better than to even try. But he's still withholding the truth. As much as I may want to believe him.

_What can I do, Jean?_

_Stay with her. _I reply. _Keep her calm. _

The professor nods and smiles thinly up at me. _How long before the others are infected?_

I shrug my shoulders and turn back to helping Hank start an IV of cold fluids to try and further cool Kitty and replace the blood that she is losing internally. It's all we can offer her and I swallow back the lump in my throat as I wonder whether it's even worth doing. But suddenly I look back down at the burn on her hand and frown in confusion. I can understand that transmission of the virus occurred from all of us that were in contact with Anna but Hank discovered that the virus could not survive when not in contact with bodily fluids. The samples he took from the floor of the jet showed no active agents and…

"Oh my god …" I look up at Hank in horror and shake my head slowly.

"What?" Hank asks worriedly.

I hurry across the infirmary and run through to the laboratory. "Please, god. Tell me I'm wrong!" I hiss into the empty room and hastily open the container where the samples have been preserved.

"Jean?"

I glance behind me and see Hank rushing into the laboratory. He sees the slides I have pulled from the sealed storage tin and frowns in concern as I hurry across to the microscope.

"I hope I'm wrong." I say again and switch on the camera that is connected to the magnifying lens. The monitor beside me flickers into life and there on the screen are the viral strands. They look like nothing we have seen before and I hold my breath as Hank and I both stare in morbid fascination at the inactive virus.

After a second I lean forward and grab a pair of forceps to gently lift the top layer of thin glass from the slide. My mouth is dry but I manage to collect a small ball of saliva on my tongue and spit it onto the slide. I hold my breath as I slide the sample back under the microscope and turn back to the screen.

"Oh no …" Hank's groan echoes around the laboratory.

My heart is racing as I stare at the screen and watch the virus slowly reactivate. The strands are moving almost imperceptibly and I gasp as suddenly they tear themselves apart and begin to replicate.

"That's impossible!" Hank whispers in awe and steps up closer behind me to lean in towards the screen. "I've never seen anything like it."

"It wasn't inert." I sigh in dismay, "It had reverted back to its dormant state."

"Waiting to be triggered by the presence of the correct DNA." Hank nods in agreement and shakes his head slowly. "Fascinating."

I spin round and glare at him angrily. "Hardly the word I'd choose!" I watch him stand up straight and tear his eyes from the image on the screen to look down at me. His face is filled with sorrow and I sigh in dismay. "I'm sorry. I know you didn't mean it like that."

"Jean …" Hank reaches out and places a gloved hand on my shoulder.

I look down at the white latex that is stretched over his thick fingers and a smile tugs on my mouth. "It's everywhere Hank."

Hank steps back from me and sits down heavily on one of the chairs. "I know."

"What can we do? It's simply waiting until it gets access to our bloodstream and then …" I sigh as I look back at the computer monitor and see the vast number of viral agents that fill the screen.

"Perhaps we should endeavour to get in touch with Charles' contact." Hank shrugs.

"He already tried." I sigh loudly. "No answer."

Hank watches me is disbelief for a moment and then glances through the door into the infirmary. "Charles had such faith in them. It is most upsetting to see such trust rebuked."

"They were planning this all along." I nod and drag my gloved hands through my hair. "They played us for fools."

Hank turns back to me and shakes his head sadly. "Wait a minute …" A frown knots his heavy brow and he looks again at the replicating virus on the screen. "Such a deadly agent would surely pose a threat to every mutant exposed to it …?"

I gasp as he turns back to me and we seem to be sharing the same sudden revelation. I run through to the infirmary and hurry over to Charles. He has been talking with Jubilee, keeping her distracted and calm while Ororo wipes her face with a cool cloth. Now he senses my slight elation and gasps as he frowns up at me.

I hug my arms close to me and take a deep breath as I wait impatiently in the long corridor. After what seems an endless few minutes I hear the door mechanism begin to slide and I step closer to the revealed entrance.

"I can't find her. She has always been notoriously difficult to locate. I can't isolate her from the forms she takes."

My heart sinks as the professor guides his chair from Cerebro and shakes his head slowly. He looks up at me and his face is stained with tears.

"Well … there goes that idea." I sigh and turn back towards the infirmary.

"Jean."

I look back at him and see the despair in his face. I know how he feels but I wish he would at least try to be strong. He's all I've got left to cling to at the moment. "What, Charles?" I watch the sadness grow in his eyes and I reach out to touch his thoughts. And it's all I can do not to collapse to the shiny floor in a blubbering heap as I see into his mind. The dead children and the burning mansion.

"We have a responsibility to ensure that this doesn't spread." Charles offers quietly.

"What? What the fuck - ?" I step closer to him and shake my head in horror. "How can you think of such a thing at a time like this? We cannot fight this, Charles! We're going to lose them all!"

Charles watches me for a moment and then nods slowly. "I've already contacted the children that were due back after the holiday weekend. At least they'll be safe."

"For now, maybe. But how long will it be until those bastards decide that their creation worked pretty effectively? How long before they release it worldwide?" I can't believe that I'm saying this. These can't be my words. I'm a doctor, a scientist. There is always a solution. Hank has again started work on an anti-viral agent. But somehow I can't see any possible way out of this now. Not if Charles cannot locate the one person who may know the location of a cure. And this headache is not helping.

Headache. Suddenly my legs feel week and I slump down onto my knees.

"Jean?" Charles moves towards me and reaches out to place a hand on my arm.

"Oh god, Charles!" A sob escapes my lips and I cover my mouth with my gloved hand. But it's too late and I tear off the gloves to throw them against the wall.

"Professor? Dr. Grey?"

I look up and my heart slams against my chest as I see Marie stepping from the elevator. She looks down at me in terror and I slowly get to my feet, straightening my skirt as I stand.

"I was worried when Miss Munroe didn't return." Marie offers timidly and continues down the corridor towards us. "And the other kids are really starting to freak."

"I know." Charles nods and lets out a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry, Marie. We'll be there soon."

I look down at Charles and smile thinly. He's right. We should all be together to support each other. And attempting to isolate the infection to the lower levels is obviously futile.

Marie watches us both warily for a moment and then frowns slightly. "D'you know where Logan is?"

"Is he not in his room?" I ask quickly and she shakes her head in reply. Her eyes are brimming with tears and I step forward to place my arm around her shoulders. Marie falls against me gratefully and buries her head into my shoulder. I can understand why she wanted to speak to Logan. He would be my choice of company, too. My first choice is slowly slipping away and I could do with Logan's strong arms to hold me right now. But I close my eyes as I realise that Logan can offer Marie far more than comfort. One touch of his skin and she will have nothing to fear from the virus.

"He's gone."

I turn to see Charles frowning in unease as he searches the mansion above us. My head is too fuzzy to allow the focus that would be required and I watch Charles for a moment. For a brief second I realise that I would not blame Logan if he has decided to abandon a sinking ship.

"Jean! Hank needs you!"

Ororo has come charging through the infirmary door and her face is pale as she looks around and then sees us. I don't need to ask what has happened. I can tell from the look in her eyes. I step away from Marie and walk quickly towards Ororo.

"She stopped breathing!" Ororo says in a panic.

I nod and smile thinly in reassurance as I step past her and enter the laboratory. I don't know why I'm trying to reassure her; I guess its habit from my years of caring for these people. And I switch into autopilot as I jog over to help Hank begin resuscitation.

We've been trying for thirty minutes and my body is trembling from fatigue. I hold Hank's gaze as he stares at me in disbelief and I take a deep breath. "I think we should stop." I offer softly.

Hank looks across at the unwavering line that streaks across the cardiac monitor and closes his eyes. He nods slowly and takes a step back from the bed, releasing his hold on the bag that he was gently squeezing to force air into Kitty's lungs.

Ororo gasps from somewhere behind me and I can hear Charles' gentle weeping from the other side of the room. My hands are shaking as I slot the defib paddles back onto the machine and look down at Kitty's pale, unmoving face. I'm sure that she's going to wake up at any moment and giggle as she offers some cheeky retort.

"She … she can't be dead." Marie urges softly.

I turn slowly and see the anger and pain in her eyes. She is trembling violently and I can understand why she is about to freak. And I wish I could do the same. I watch Ororo step closer to Marie and gather her into her arms.

"We should check on the other children." Hank suggests quietly and pulls a sheet up over Kitty's body.

I nod slowly and turn to look at the sedated form of Jubilee in the bed on the other side of me. And my gaze then moves to Scott. Age is on his side and he is still holding on for now. I step towards him and gently allow myself a quick glimpse into his thoughts. His unconscious mind makes no sense but it is still active and that was all I needed to know. I blink away the tears that have pooled in my eyes and then suddenly gasp as I look around the infirmary. "Charles," I manage huskily, "Where's Anna?"


	13. Chapter 13

_**ANNA**_

I knock firmly on the heavy oak and can feel my heart thudding against my chest as I wait for an answer. After a moment I hear footsteps beyond the door and then the husky demand to know who is disturbing him. I answer quickly and then hear the turning of the handle.

He opens the door very slightly ajar and peers through the crack. They told him he was to stay away from people. They thought he might spread the virus. They weren't to know it is too late.

"Anna?"

"Can I talk to you for a second?" I ask timidly.

He steps back and pulls the door open further. With a subtle nod of his head, he beckons me to enter and I step inside. I glance quickly around the room and see that it's exactly the same as all the other rooms but somehow seems sparser. Like me, he doesn't have many possessions.

"I thought you were staying downstairs with the others?" He frowns.

I shrug my shoulders in response and watch him as he wanders over to perch on the edge of his bed and he rests his elbows on his knees, trying to appear relaxed. But his bare chest is glistening with sweat and his face flushed. I have already noticed the ruffled line across the plush carpet and what little I know of him tells me that he's been pacing. Either through pure worry about his friends or, more likely, the agitation that being confined to his room has caused.

Logan is watching me in apprehension and his frown deepens as he takes a deep breath. "How is Scott?"

I can't bring myself to say the words and I don't think I even could past the lump that has suddenly arisen in my throat.

"Oh." Logan looks down at his hands and lets out a heavy sigh. After a moment he looks back up and smiles thinly. "But he's got Jean and the mad professors working on him. They must be able to help him."

I shake my head slowly and see the pain that crosses his face. Suddenly I want to hurry over to him and throw my arms around him. My reservations aside, I could really use a hug right now. But then I remember that I didn't come here to be comforted by him. "Logan," I begin quietly, "I've got an idea."

XXXXX

The house is eerily quiet as we make our way through to the garage and I hurry after Logan's long strides. He didn't question my proposal for a second. He simply nodded and began to lead me down here. I can understand why. He can no more cope with the idea of sitting around uselessly while people are suffering than I can right now.

"We'll take the UV." Logan orders gently, aiming at the black jeep with the remote control and the doors click open and he quickly climbs inside.

I clamber into the passenger seat and strap myself in, glad that he did not expect me to try and squeeze into the sleek sports car that is parked beside the jeep. Adjusting the belt to sit underneath my pregnant abdomen, I look up and see him watching me in concern. I'm sure he's going to tell me this is a stupid idea and suggest that I ought to stay behind and I take a deep breath, ready with my arguments.

"Where to?"

I smile and settle back against the seat. "Head towards the city." I reply and open the laptop computer that I picked up from the professor's desk. The information that I need is still saved on the hard drive and I frown in concentration as I begin to read through the files.

"How long did you say we have?" Logan asks softly.

I look up from the laptop and peer out at the dark evening sky as Logan guides the jeep along the gravel driveway. The cast iron front gates swing open automatically as we near and I swallow hard as we turn onto the road. "Not long." I reply quietly and the jeep surges forward as Logan presses his foot to the floor.

XXXXX

The house is set among it's own grounds on the outskirts of a small town. Much smaller than the mansion, it's still impressive and I frown in interest as we turn off the main road and head down the narrow track that leads towards the front gates.

"This it?" Logan asks gruffly.

I look down at the file that is presented on the laptop screen and nod slowly. "This is the address."

"Pretty swanky." Logan observes and leans forward to peer out through the windscreen at the house beyond the high walled gates. He switched off the jeep's lights before we turned down here and only the porch light from the house beyond is guiding our path.

My heart is racing as I look through the gates and see the empty gravel front drive. "I guess they might not be home."

"They?" Logan urges.

I shrug my shoulders. "Him and his wife. Maybe they're staying with family for Thanksgiving."

Logan stares at me for a moment and I can't read his expressionless face. He's pulled the jeep off of the track amid some trees and sighs as he turns away from me and switches off the ignition.

"I forgot about the holiday weekend." I offer quietly.

"Maybe you should stay here."

"What? No! If we're going ahead with this then it's together. I've got some questions for that son-of-a-bitch!"

Logan nods and smiles thinly. "That's why you should stay out."

I look into his face and groan as I remember how badly my meeting with Wade went. And it's ironic that it's me that poses a threat to his father, rather than the monster that sits beside me. "I know what you're thinking, Logan. And … I can't promise I won't get angry but - "

"Hey." Logan leans towards me and his face becomes serious. "I don't give a fuck what you do to this shit-head and his entire fucking family. What worries me is the guilt that you will then carry forever."

I can just see his face in the dim light from the house and see the sincerity in his dark eyes. "Forever?" I say softly, "We only have a few hours, Logan."

Logan nods and takes a deep breath before opening the door and stepping out of the jeep. We approach the perimeter wall slowly, keeping to the shadows and out of range of the motion sensor that Logan saw on the gatepost.

"This place has got some pretty fancy security." Logan whispers as we reach the edge of the gate.

I nod in understanding and slink back a short way against the wall. I watch in wonder as Logan quickly scales the gate and drops down onto the gravel drive beyond. He then disappears from view and I hold my breath as I wait impatiently.

After what seems an age, I see one of the gates begin to swing open and Logan steps into the opening. He beckons to me to hurry inside and I obey quickly.

"That was easy." I offer and then see the remains of the control panel on the inner wall.

"We have a problem." Logan counters softly; pulling me along the edge of the wall and out of the light that is cast from the house across the drive and front lawn. He looks around worriedly and sniffs the air. "Dogs."

"Dogs?" I gasp and peer around us in horror. "Where?"

"Hopefully chained up round the back." Logan smiles thinly and tightens his grip on my arm to pull me close to him as he steps away from the wall and hurries across the grass. Staying in the darkness of the house's shadow we run to the corner of the building and wait there for a second.

Slipping into the house was much easier than either of us had expected. No alarms sounded as Logan gently forced one of the windows, sliding a thin claw down the seal and slicing through the hinge. He then climbed in through the gap and released the lock on the inside to open the window fully. I let him pull me backwards up and over the sill and somehow I wanted to laugh at how ungainly I was as I tumbled into the room.

We wait here by the window for a long moment, Logan frowning in the dim light as he listens to the main house beyond. Eventually he nods and we begin to move forward. We had climbed into a small room at the corner of the house and in the light from my torch it was now revealed as a library. Low chairs and a large welcoming couch are placed around an ornate fireplace and books line two of the walls. With no sign of our quarry, we make our slow way through the room and creep quietly through the door into the hall.

The lounge is immense, incorporating what seems to be one entire wing of the house. I shine my torch beam around the room and sigh inwardly as I see no signs of a computer or a work desk. We need to find a study or an office and I'm wondering if it would be quicker to split up. A slight noise above us then makes me gasp slightly and Logan is instantly beside me, his hand on my arm in reassurance as he looks up at the ceiling, listening intently. He nods a few seconds later and I follow him through the hall.

We check every door leading off from the main lobby and find a cloakroom, dining room and two bathrooms but no office. My heart is in my throat as I realise that we are going to have to venture upstairs. We arrive at the last door in the hall and Logan presses his ear against the whitewashed wood. He smiles and steps back, pressing his finger against his lips and then quickly miming what I presume is meant to indicate that there is a dog in the kitchen. I step back from the door quickly and nod in understanding. I can just make out Logan's concerned frown in the semi-darkness as he moves past me and begins towards the stairs.

The wooden staircase is centrally carpeted and I step lightly on each stair, glad for the material beneath my sneakers but wary of the slightest creak. I dare not even take a breath as we ascend the stairs and I slowly and carefully exhale as we reach the top. The landing curves round in an immense c-shape and there are numerous doors leading off. Logan holds his hand up to order me to halt at the top of the stairs and he wanders cautiously round the landing, leaning close to each room in turn to listen for the slightest sound beyond the door. I realise that he's attempting to distinguish which rooms are occupied bedrooms and I wait patiently, sure that my thumping heart must be loud enough to be heard through the entire house.

I clutch the landing rail in apprehension as Logan grips a handle and carefully opens a door. He beckons to me to join him and I pad gingerly across the landing. I switch on the torch and shine it into the room that is now revealed as an empty bedroom. Logan listens for a long moment at the end door and turns back to me with a slight nod. With rough sign language he tells me to move back, this room is occupied. Moving on to the next room, we slowly investigate the interior and my heart leaps as I shine the torch beam around a smart office. I can't help but grin in relief and pleasure as we step inside and close the door behind us.

The computer by the window hums softly as it boots up and I bite my lip as the seemingly loud whirring makes my heart race. I glance back and see Logan listening at the door for any indication that someone has been disturbed. I don't know where we'll go if someone does approach the room and I look out of the window at the dark garden below.

It takes me a moment to hunt through the files on the desktop and I frown in thought as I search through the information. The light from the computer screen fills the room and I perch on the chair before the desk to wait for a program to open. It was a relief that there was no password protection for the main desktop but now my heart sinks as the demand window flashes up at me. I turn to Logan and shake my head as he looks across at me.

"Shit!" Logan hisses under his breath and his shoulders sink.

I shake my head again in an apology as he turns back to me expectantly. I haven't got the slightest clue where to even begin when it comes to deciphering the password. I only met the head of the company once and never spoke much with Wade about his family. Looking back through the files, I can see that this folder is the work-related one and what we came here to find.

"I guess we do this the old-fashioned way then." Logan whispers and stands up straight.

I look up at him in the light from the computer screen and nod in agreement. I know what we have to do but suddenly I feel nauseous and am beginning to wonder if this was such a good plan. Then I remember Scott lying in the infirmary and I stand from the chair to head towards the door.

Everything seemed to happen in a flash of speed and confusion. We charged into the end bedroom and flung the door open, keeping the lights off as we hurried across the immense room to the double bed. I quickly realise that Logan has run to the wife's side of the bed and I look down at the gently stirring man before me.

"Good evening, Tate." I switch on the bedside lamp and smile down at him.

The dogs in the kitchen are barking angrily now as Tate sits bolt upright in the bed with a gasp.

Tate's wife is clutching at the sheets and staring at Logan in terror. Her mouth opens as if to scream but no sound comes out and she begins to tremble violently.

"What the hell?" Tate stammers rapidly. He now sees Logan on the other side of the bed and swallows hard. "Who are you? What do you want?"

"What? You don't recognise one of your most valuable employees?" I offer softly.

Tate turns back to me and now notices the immense bump beneath my jumper. He frowns as he looks up at my face and then relaxes slightly. "Anna?"

I nod an affirmative and again smile down at him. "Now, Mr. Peterson. We mean you no harm. We just need some information from your computer."

"Information?" Tate's frown deepens.

"About the virus."

Tate sits back against the pillows and shrugs his shoulders. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't fuck with me!" I warn and have suddenly stooped over him to grab the collar of his flannel pyjamas. "There is no time for games, Tate. I am in no fucking mood to play with you!"

Tate's face is filled with fear as he looks up at me and he nods slowly. "Okay, Anna, okay." He raises his hands in a gesture of calm and sighs in relief as I release my grip on him.

"Tate?" His wife whimpers worriedly, still staring in fear at Logan.

"It's okay, honey." Tate soothes and slowly climbs out from under the covers.

I watch him warily and gasp as he suddenly grips the handle of the drawer in the bedside locker. "Hey!" I shout in warning and reach out to grab his arm and pull him back from the drawer.

"Okay, okay!" Tate falls back away from the drawer and shows me the small book in his hand. "The passwords are in here."

I snatch the book from him and sigh in relief and annoyance. Looking down for a second I open the notebook and frown in interest at the many scribbled codes. I then gasp as suddenly Logan has leapt across the bed towards me. He tackles Tate to the floor and then rolls off of him just as quickly.

"What the fuck - ?" I manage and watch Logan clamber to his feet.

His claws slide back into his hands as he turns towards me and he shrugs slightly. "He had a gun." Logan holds up a perfect half of the small pistol that has been cleaved in two and I gasp as I see the finger that is still hooked around the trigger.

"Oh my god!" Tate cries out in pain and revulsion.

I look down and see him clutching at his bleeding right hand. He drops the handle of the gun that was still in his grasp and groans as he stares up at us in horror.

"Tate?" His wife has sat up and now peers over the edge of the bed. Her face pales as she sees the blood and she slaps her hand over her mouth.

"My finger!" Tate sobs loudly, "You cut off my finger!"

Logan glances down at him and again shrugs his shoulders as he turns back to me. "Maybe we should put it on ice. They can sew it back on, can't they?"

I watch him in wonder for a moment and can't work out whether he is serious or not. I want to laugh but instead I turn away and head back towards the office, leaving Tate and his wife wailing together.

I sit down at the desk and find the reference in the small book that tells me the password; both relieved and amused that Tate was stupid enough to keep such a book. I open the folder and begin to read through the files. There are various documents regarding the funding of the experiment and files containing information about the test subjects. Most of the stuff I have already read and I frown as I see that the information matches what was contained on the disc Mystique gave me. Then my eyes fall on some reports on the medical trials that confirmed the effects of the virus and I hold my breath as I skim through them but there is no mention of a reversal or cure.

"Well?" Logan urges softly as he walks up beside me. "Anything?"

"Nothing." I sigh and stand to wander back to the bedroom.

"Oh god! Tate!" Mrs. Peterson gasps as she sees me enter the room and she clutches at her husbands shoulders as he leans back against the bed.

"Is there a cure?" I ask softly.

Tate looks up at me and sighs loudly. "I don't know."

I glance behind me and see the scowl on Logan's face. He turns to me and shakes his head slowly.

"You're lying, Tate." I stoop down and smile at him coldly. "You've got nine fingers left. I'm sure you want to keep it that way."

Tate looks down at the hand he has bound in the corner of a sheet from the bed and sees the blood that is still seeping through. "Listen … I wasn't in the loop on this. I don't know all the details." He looks up at me and shrugs his shoulders. "I just provided the funds."

I nod slowly and let out a heavy sigh. "Logan?"

"Still lying." Logan confirms.

I hear a snick as Logan unsheathes a set of claws and I can't hide the grin that crosses my mouth as I see the instant fear on the couple's faces.

"Okay." Tate groans and closes his eyes as he lets his head flop back against the bed. "I can tell you what little I do know."

"No." I reach out to grab his injured hand and squeeze hard. Tate squeals in pain and I release my grip. "Tell me everything."

"You don't want to know _everything _!" Tate suddenly lifts his head and glares at me angrily.

I flinch as I see the look on his face and I back away from him slightly. "What do you mean?"

"If you really wanted to know, you'd have found out long ago." He smiles and nods slowly, "But you kept your head down and ignored the truth just like everyone else."

"What?" I demand softly.

Tate slowly clambers to his feet and, still clutching his hand, stands before me to chuckle softly. "Oh please … the poor little rich girl act grew old a long time ago. Look around you, Anna. We're in the middle of a war. Why are you helping the enemy?" He glances behind me at Logan and hugs his injured hand against his chest. "They are dangerous."

"Shut up!" I warn angrily and step closer to him, my hand drawn back as if to strike him. "Just tell me about the virus!"

"We have been fighting their infestation for years." Tate continues softly, a slight smile creeping onto his thin mouth. "We tried to contain them but that was completely ineffective." He watches me for a moment and then takes a deep breath. "They must be destroyed before they destroy us. Your father knew that and that's why he had Bryan killed."

"What?" I ask angrily.

Tate nods slowly and his smile is growing. "He was one of them, Anna. One of those monsters." He nods towards Logan, "Your father was more sensible than most. He knew that no fancy schools or empty promises from Charles Xavier would ever change what Bryan was becoming."

"No!" I shake my head and back away from him. "You're lying!"

"Am I?" Tate is growing in confidence and holds me in his gaze calmly. "You should ask your mother. Oh, I forget … she tells me you don't speak any more. That is a shame."

I watch him in disbelief and step away from him. "How …?"

Tate laughs softly and then sighs in sympathy. "You really don't get it, do you. This has been going on for years, Anna." His smile fades and he shakes his head sadly. "Your parents were devastated when they realised that their beloved son was a mutant. Alex knew what he had to do but it was terrible for him and your mother. Then they heard of this experiment and were all too happy to assist us. It was a great loss to our cause when your father died."

I hold my breath as I stare at him in horror and back further away from him.

"Oh, that was natural causes." Tate smiles, "Don't worry. Your father was too precious to us, Anna. As are you." His gaze moves to my pregnancy and he takes a deep breath. "You really should contact your mother. She is very proud of what you have accomplished."

"Don't listen, Anna." Logan offers gently behind me. "He'd say anything to distract you right now."

I turn to him and search his sincere face. After a moment I turn back to Tate and smile at him. "Nice try."

"It's the truth!" Tate urges, "You belong with us, Anna."

"Us?" I frown in confusion.

"You're part of the cause, Anna. Part of the cleansing."

Now my mind is suddenly filled with an image of the friends I have made back at the school and the way they are suffering right now. Anger surges within me and I leap at Tate, forcing him back across the room to slam against the wall. My hands are around his throat and I squeeze hard, watching his face redden as he struggles to breathe. He claws at my arms to try and prize me off of him and I smile at him coldly.

"No! Tate!"

His wife has leapt from the bed and is hurrying over to try and help him. I adjust my grip to keep Tate pressed against the wall with one hand and strike out at her with the other. The force of my fist slamming into her face jars my shoulder and I watch her slump to the floor. It was all the distraction Tate needed and he suddenly lifts his leg to knee me hard in the stomach. I let go of his neck and stagger back from him, doubling up as pain tears through my abdomen.

"Anna!" Logan is at my side instantly and leans down to check I am okay. "You bastard!" He hisses and stands up straight to confront Tate.

Somehow I get the impression that Logan was just waiting for the chance to have a turn at interrogating Tate and I lean against the cabinet beside me for support as I watch him. He presses Tate up against the wall and raises his fist as if to strike him. Instead, three glistening claws extend towards Tate's face and halt under his chin.

"Attack a pregnant woman?" Logan growls angrily. "Infect children with your virus? I ought to slice you in two."

Tate stares at Logan in horror and stays silent.

"Just tell us, Tate." I stand up straight and stroke my tender abdomen. "Who has the cure?"

Tate looks past Logan to watch me in silence and he shakes his head slowly. "They need to be destroyed." He glances back at Logan and swallows hard. "I have to protect the cause."

"This is pointless." Logan glances back at me, still poised to strike. "This guy's lost it, Anna." He offers and then suddenly freezes. "Oh god, no …"

"What?" I gasp as I see the dismay on his face and then I hear the sirens that are approaching the house. "But how …?"

Tate chuckles softly. "The computer programme you accessed was rigged to send a distress signal if it was opened."

"Oh shit." I sigh and open the curtains to peer out of the window to see the distant blue flashes beyond the woods. "We should get the fuck out of here."

"I can help you, Anna." Tate urges quickly. "You have a lot to answer for. The death of eight federal officers and Dr Arnold." He pauses for a moment, "And the murder of my son."

My heart races as I suddenly realise that the only way Tate could know about Wade's death is if he has spoken to the only other survivor of that night. "Where is she?" I ask.

"Who?"

"Mystique!" I reply harshly, "Where is she? Tell me!"

Tate laughs softly, "Anna, you're hardly in a position to be demanding anything!" He nods towards the window and the sirens that are even louder now.

"Tell me where she is!" I shout angrily, stepping forward to glare at him over Logan's shoulder.

"Give it up, Anna. They're a lost cause."

"No!" I shout in fury, tears welling in my eyes. "You bastard! Tell me where I can find her, or I swear I'll - "

Tate is laughing again and he watches me in amusement. "Or you'll what?"

"Fuck you." I husk and grit my teeth as I slam my hand against Logan's elbow. It forces his arm forward and his claws sink into Tate's neck. Logan gasps in shock and then quickly retracts his claws, his elbow colliding with my cheek as he recoils back from Tate. I stumble away from Logan and close my eyes, tears rolling down my flushed face.

"Oh shit …" Logan groans.

I look back up and watch as Tate stares at us in horror, clutching at his neck as he slides down the wall, blood oozing through the fingers of his good left hand.

"Anna …?" Logan turns away from the sight and scowls at me in anger. But there's no time for this now. He glances out of the window through the open curtains and I follow his gaze to see the patrol that cars are entering the grounds through the disabled front gates.

"I'm sorry." I manage huskily.

Logan spins round to face me and my heart races as I hear the low growl in his throat as he steps towards me.

"I'm so sorry." Tired, angry sobs are building in my throat and my legs feel weak.

"No!" Logan crosses the gap between us and grabs my shoulders to shake me roughly. "Don't do this now! You started this, Anna! And, by fuck, are you gonna finish it!"

I look into his eyes and see determination mingled with fury. "How?" I ask softly.

Logan sighs as he releases his grip on me and then pulls me away from the window. The police have started to congregate on the front drive and he shakes his head. "I don't think running is an option now."

I nod slowly and perch on the edge of the bed. Glancing over at Tate, I see him watching us in alarm and I frown in wonder that he is still conscious considering the amount of blood that has cascaded down his pyjamas. And an idea flashes into my mind. Then a crash is heard below us and I realise that the police have broken through the front door. Standing quickly, I edge closer to the window but am careful to stay out of sight of the officers below. I crouch down and grasp the severed handle of Tate's gun.

"Anna!" Logan cautions worriedly, glancing at the open bedroom door as footsteps are heard on the stairs.

I ignore him and throw the handle hard, smiling as it smashes through the window. Turning back to Logan, I see him listening intently and even I can tell that the officers have ceased their ascent on the stairs and I wait for a moment as all attention from those outside is now focused towards the bedroom. Soon the lead officer begins barking terms of our surrender up at the house and I laugh softly.

"How many?" Logan asks in a whisper.

"I can see five cars." I reply, keeping back out of range as I peer quickly at the scene below us.

"Easy odds." Logan husks, "You stay here, I'll - "

"No." I glance at Logan and shake my head. Then I turn my attention to Tate and a thin smile again crosses my mouth. "Get up."

Tate watches me in fear and stays still in his slump on the floor against the wall.

"Don't make me come over there." I warn softly and then watch as Tate clambers to his feet and stands unsteadily, still gripping the wounds in his neck with his good hand. I nod towards the window and he staggers across the room obediently.

"Mr. Peterson?" A shout comes from below the window through a patrol car speaker system, "Are you alright sir? What's happened?"

"Mr. Peterson," I call out calmly, "Will be delivered to you in pieces unless you back the fuck off!"

Silence falls around the house and my heart is thudding in my head as we wait for a response.

"And, in case you don't believe me …" I peer around the floor and then see the finger lying near the other piece of the halved gun. I grimace as I pick it up and then throw it through the smashed window. After a moment, gasps of horror and revulsion can be made out and I can't help the grin that crosses my mouth as I hear the lead officer ordering everyone back from the house.

"Anna …" Logan cautions quietly again.

I turn to Logan and sigh in disappointment. The monster that I had been so afraid of is now watching me worriedly and that's so not what I need right now. "Have I got your attention?" I shout towards the window.

"Yes, you have." Comes the amplified reply, "What do you want?"

"Safe passage out of here."

Again silence while my answer is deliberated and then the click of a microphone being switched on. "I need to know that the Petersons are all right."

I grab Tate's arm and he panics as I pull him towards me and his hand is dislodged from pressing against his neck. The wounds are not bleeding quite as heavily now and I can see the two slits in the skin under his chin. He looks pale but he seems not as badly injured as we had first thought. I shudder suddenly as I recall a very different neck wound and remember Matt dying in front of me in the alleyway behind our house.

"Mr. Peterson!" The police officer calls out urgently as Tate steps into full view by the window.

Tate waves and nods his head, glancing at me worriedly as he wonders what my next move will be. And I'm not actually sure.

"Anna." Logan says softly.

I turn to him and see the slight smile on his calm face. "Can you get to the jeep?" I ask quickly.

Logan nods eagerly and his smile grows, he was thinking the same thing as me.

"Meet you there." I offer and my heart is racing as he hurries across to the other window and climbs outside. The police have no doubt also covered the rear of the house but two or three officers will be no match for Logan and I watch as he clambers down out of sight and suddenly I'm alone with Tate.

"Tate?" Comes a slurred voice from the floor.

I look down and see Mrs. Peterson slowly coming to. I turn to Tate and nod in reply to the appeal in his worried eyes.

"It's okay, honey. We'll be okay." Tate offers softly as he kneels down and places his injured hand on her forehead to try and comfort her. "We'll be okay." He looks up at me and watches me in apprehension.

"You'll be fine." I agree quietly and swallow back the lump in my throat. In truth, I want them to suffer as much as my friends are suffering. I want him to pay for what he helped do to Scott. "Get up, Tate."

"What? Why?" Tate whines.

"You're my insurance." I say coolly and step towards him. "Now get up."

Tate shakes his head and frightened tears are pouring down his grey face. "No! I'm not going anywhere with you!"

I sigh loudly and lean down to glare at him. "Yes, you are."

"You better do as she says." Tate's wife manages through her tears and leans back from him, gasping as she sees the wounds in his neck. "Please, honey. I don't want her to hurt you more."

My heart sinks as she turns to me and I see the fear and hate in her tear-filled eyes. Suddenly I want to tell her that all this is not my fault. I did not start this. I'm just finishing it.

Tate stands slowly, kissing her forehead tenderly as he gets to his feet and he then follows me from the room. We make our slow way down the stairs and can hear the dogs still barking madly in the kitchen as we make our way across the lobby towards the front door that hangs open on it's hinges. I grab Tate's arm and reach up to press the severed gun half into his neck. I've covered my hand with the sleeve of my jumper so the police cannot see that the gun is incomplete and hope that the illusion will work. I urge Tate forward and hold my breath as we step out into full view of the police. There are seven officers gathered around their cars, their guns trained on me as I guide Tate down the front steps and onto the drive.

"Mr. Peterson?" The lead officer calls out worriedly.

Tate raises his hands in a gesture of calm. "It's okay, Alan. We're okay."

I frown as I hear Tate call the officer by name and peer through the bright headlights to see the pale patrol car among the more familiar blue and white vehicles.

"Where's Helen?" The sheriff asks quickly.

"She's fine, Alan. Just let us go." Tate replies calmly.

I watch with baited breath as the sheriff lowers his gun and nods towards the nearest police officer. The officer also relaxes his stance and calls out to his colleagues to do the same. I can't quite believe their reaction but I decide to worry about it later and order Tate to continue forwards.

We walk down the drive quickly and the police keep their distance, watching in interest as we pass them. The distance to the gates seems impossibly long and my heart is thumping in my ears as we hurry along. I then sigh in relief as I see the blinking of headlights among the woods and I break into a jog, pulling Tate along behind me as I rush through the trees to the jeep. Logan leans across to open the passenger door and then starts the engine.

"You can let me go now." Tate says breathlessly and shrugs his arm from my grasp.

I spin round and shake my head urgently. "No way, they'll - "

"They know who you are, Anna." Tate says suddenly and glances at my full abdomen. "Let me go and they'll not come after you."

"What?" I gasp, "How - ?"

"Just believe me, Anna. This is far bigger than you have even begun to understand."

"But - " I want to ask him so much more but Logan is revving the engine of the jeep urgently and I frown in confusion as I watch Tate edging back towards the gates. I watch him turn and walk quickly away from me.

"Anna!" Logan hisses worriedly through the open door.

I shake my head with a sigh and head towards the jeep.

"Anna."

Looking back, I see Tate has stopped inside the gates. I halt by the open door of the jeep and watch Tate in intrigue.

"I'm sorry, Anna." Tate offers softly and shrugs his shoulders before then turning back towards the house and hurrying up the drive.

"What the fuck was that about?" Logan asks in wonder.

I climb up into the passenger seat and strap myself in. "I have no idea." I reply quietly and close my eyes, resting my head back against the seat as Logan turns the jeep and we scramble back up onto the main road.

"Where now?" Logan asks softly after a few minutes.

I open my eyes and sigh loudly as I shrug my shoulders. "I don't know." I turn to watch Logan frowning in concern and I take a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I thought Tate would know something that would help us."

Logan glances at me and offers a thin smile. "It was a long shot."

I watch him turn back to the road and can guess that he is glad for the distraction. Anything is better than being in the school right now. But I had really got my hopes up. And this disappointment tastes bad in my mouth.

"Maybe we could go back and get the jet. Fly out to the lab. There might be something left." Logan suggests after a moment.

I look down at the clock on the dashboard and swallow hard. "We're running out of time."

"But even if we can only save a few of them …" Logan trails off but I caught the emotion in his voice and my vision is misting with tears.

"I can't believe this is happening." I whisper huskily and hang my head to let the tears fall.

"Hey!" Logan reaches over to me and places a hand on my thigh. "Come on. No giving up, now! Think, Anna. Is there something we've missed?"

"I don't know." I sigh and look up to see him watching me worriedly. "I'm sorry." I add again quickly and then gasp as Logan suddenly slams his foot on the brakes.

The force of the sudden deceleration has thrown me forwards against the harness and I place my hands on the dash to push back away from the seatbelt as the jeep skids and slides to an eventual stop.

"Shit!" I gasp as the car finally comes to rest and I turn to Logan. "What the fuck - " I stop as I see him glaring out through the windscreen and I slowly follow his gaze. "Oh crap!" I slump back against the seat and groan in dismay as I look out at the roadblock.

Two lorries and five jeeps are parked across the carriageway and my heart sinks as I see the familiar camouflage colours. Countless soldiers are gathered among the vehicles and in front of the blockade and I swallow hard as I see the weapons that are aimed at us.

"Step out of the vehicle and put your hands on your head!" Comes an angry shout from somewhere amid the gathering.

I gasp as Logan grabs the handle of his door and raises his other hand in a gesture of surrender. "What!" I demand quickly, "Logan? What are you doing? We can get away from them! I thought you said this thing is bullet-proof!"

"It is." Logan shrugs and swings his door open, nodding toward the roadblock. "But not shell-proof."

I frown in confusion and then look back out and see the tank that is stationed behind the jeeps. I stare in horror at the immense gun that is trained on us and I groan in dismay. "Wait!" I say suddenly and reach over to grab Logan's arm, pulling him back as he climbs from the jeep. "They won't attack us!" I urge quickly, remembering how every similar situation has been a recovery, not an elimination. "They want me alive!"

"You willing to bet on that?" Logan replies softly.

I watch him for a moment and see the resolve in his calm face. He has considered all the options and has made his choice. He's going to fight his way out of this. And if, by some chance, he does not survive then he would rather die here than go back to the school to watch his friends slip away. I let go of his arm and watch as he steps from the jeep and walks round the door, his hands raised above his head.

I look back out at the soldiers and see one of them raise his hand to order the others to stand down and then slowly walk towards us. His colleagues still have their guns trained on us and they watch in interest as he crosses the short distance towards the jeep.

"I'm sure we can settle this calmly." The soldier calls out and smiles thinly.

I turn to watch Logan's response but I can't see his face and my heart is in my throat as he nods slowly.

"I'm sure we could if we wanted to." Logan replies.

The soldier halts a short way from Logan and his smile grows as he regards him in interest. "You don't like the sound of that?"

Logan laughs softly and shakes his head. "If you know anything about me, you'll know the answer to that."

"Logan, what the fuck are you doing?" I whisper into the empty jeep and frown in concern as I watch the two men in their apparent stand off.

"I can let you go." The soldier offers after a moment. "No questions asked. Just give us Anna and leave."

My heart skips a beat as I stare in horror at the soldier. Is this what Tate meant about this all being bigger than I had thought? And how did these guys catch up with us so fast? Have they been on our trail all along?

"No deal." Logan replies calmly.

"What!" I shout suddenly and climb quickly from the jeep. "Logan!"

He turns towards me and I see the smile that is dancing on his lips. It fades as he sees the fear that must be written across my face and he nods in reassurance. "I won't let them take you." He looks back towards the soldier and chuckles softly. "But I'm going to enjoy letting them try. Get back in the jeep, Anna."

"No."

Logan spins round and scowls at me angrily. "Get in the fucking jeep and stay there!"

"I won't let you do this." I retort softly, "There may still be time."

"You may as well do as he says." The soldier turns to me and he smiles in amusement. "There's nothing you can do for your friends."

I gasp and turn to the soldier, unable to believe how he can know. It's then that I see the telltale orange flash in his eyes and I fly at him. "You bitch!" Logan catches me in mid-charge and pulls me back against him. "How could you!" I cry out in anger and despair, "They're your own kind! And you signed their death warrants! You bitch!"

"Anna …" Logan soothes, "It's too late now. Let it go."

"No!" I struggle against his firm grip and somehow try to kick out at Mystique, my anger growing as she laughs in amusement.

"Try and see the bigger picture, Anna." Mystique offers gently, "Your 'friends' are on _their_ side." She nods behind her at the soldiers that are watching the exchange in interest.

"So are you!" I argue angrily, "You've done exactly what they wanted. You've played into their hands. And now the virus has been unleashed and will wipe out all of you!"

"No. Not all of us."

"Sergeant?" Comes a sudden call from the blockade. "Everything okay, sir?"

"Fine!" Mystique shouts back a reply. "I have this under control."

"You couldn't be more wrong." Logan says softly. He releases his grip on my arms and moves round to stand beside me. "This isn't your sergeant!" Logan shouts suddenly.

I glance up at him and see the amusement hidden behind his scowl. Turning back to Mystique, I see the flash of fear that crosses the middle-aged face she has impersonated and I step closer to her. "She's one of them!" I shout loudly, "She's a mutant!"

"What?" A few of the soldiers have lowered their rifles and are stepping forward out of formation around the vehicles. "Sergeant? What are they talking about?"

Mystique glares at us angrily and turns to the line of soldiers and sees the unease on their faces. "Nothing, Corporal. Stand by."

"Give it up, Mystique." Logan chuckles softly, "I think you are actually in more danger here than we are."

"Shut up!" Suddenly her gun is aimed at Logan and her hands are shaking as she watches him laughing at her. "Fine. Go."

"What?" I frown.

"Leave. Go! Get the hell out of here! There's nothing you can do, anyway." She shrugs.

Logan nods and begins to back away towards the jeep. "Come on, Anna."

"No." I glance at him and shake my head slowly as I turn back to Mystique. "She's got the cure." I take a deep breath and step closer to her, aware of the soldiers behind her tensing in apprehension. "Just tell me why?" Mystique watches me in silence and I stare up at the lined face of the sergeant, trying to somehow look past his skin and see her. "They are only children, Mystique."

"I …" She sighs and looks down at the gun in her hands. "It spiralled out of control. By the time I found out what they were really doing it was too late."

"So help them."

"I can't. I'm too involved in this now." She looks back up at me and shakes her head slowly. "It's too late, Anna."

"It doesn't have to be!" I urge quickly.

"Anna?" Logan has wandered back up to my side and places his hand on my shoulder. "What's going on?"

I glance at him worriedly and then turn back to Mystique. "Please! You can help us! It's not too late!"

Mystique is backing away from us and the sergeant's face slowly turns blue as she reveals her true self and smiles thinly. "I'm sorry." She offers huskily and suddenly the man's body ripples and morphs back into her lithe figure.

The soldiers are wide-mouthed in horror and I gasp as I see their shock quickly turning to anger. Logan has also seen their reaction and he grabs my shoulders to throw me down to the ground and then quickly covers me with his body as the shooting starts.

"Stay down!" Logan orders harshly and suddenly leaps up off of me.

I can hear bullets thudding into flesh as he stands and rushes towards the line of soldiers. I dare not look up. This is way too familiar to the ambush outside L.A. and I cover my ears with my hands but can still feel the vibration of weapons fire. I want to somehow get to the safety of the jeep but I'm just too scared to even think of moving. With my eyes closed tightly, I find myself praying to whoever might be listening that this will be over soon.

And it is. Suddenly the shooting has stopped and in the cold quiet of a moonless night there is silence. I take my hands from my ears and listen to the stillness. After a moment I can hear the occasional gasp but no groans of pain or worried shouting. My curiosity now gets the better of me and I lift my head to look behind me.

It's nothing like the scene I had imagined I would see. The soldiers have backed up against the trucks and are staring in horror and wonder at the creature before them. I soon realise that every man has been disarmed; some still hold the portion of their rifle that remains, others have dropped the sliced weapons to the ground. I smile as I then notice that even the cannon that protrudes from the tank has been sheered clean off. It's an impressive achievement and I stare in awe at the disabled troops.

I then let my gaze move back to the man that is responsible for such precise and decisive neutralisation. Logan is standing before the soldiers, his breathing heavy and creating thin clouds before his face. His has his back to me but I have seen his fury before and can well imagine the scowl that is now holding the soldiers cautiously still.

"Now," Logan growls suddenly, his voice loud in the stillness. "You're gonna let us leave and you're not going to follow us."

My smile grows as the soldiers nod quickly in agreement.

"Good." Logan retracts his claws and sighs loudly. He turns slowly and his eyes rest on me. "You okay?"

I nod in reply, holding out my hand as he approaches. He helps me to my feet and smiles thinly as he sees for himself that, though sore from his tackle to the floor, I am unhurt. I then see the blood on his clothes and the many holes where bullets have torn into him. "My god!" I gasp, "Are _you_ okay?"

"Yeah." Logan takes my arm and leads me towards the jeep. He is leaning heavily on me and I hear him groan slightly as he walks slowly beside me. "I'll be fine." Logan offers softly and then turns to me with a thin smile, "But maybe you could drive?"

I nod and watch him in concern as he climbs carefully into the jeep. I step up into the driver's seat and switch on the ignition, seeing him grimacing as he straps himself in. "You sure you're okay?" Logan nods and closes his eyes as he rests back against the seat. I slip the jeep into drive and see the soldiers still watching us nervously as I ease the vehicle forwards.

"Wait!" I gasp suddenly and quickly look around us. "Where's Mystique?"

"She bailed as soon as the shooting started." Logan husks in reply.

"But …" I shake my head in disbelief and turn to him. "I thought - "

"Forget it, kid. She's not on anyone's side except her own."

I look into Logan's weary face as he turns to me and I see the disappointment in his eyes. For a moment, he had also thought that perhaps she would help us. I look away from him and close my eyes. "Now we'll never find her again."

"And I know what I'd do if I ever did." Logan sighs.

"Logan! She's immune! She has the anti-virus!" I shout suddenly as I spin back to him, unable to help the waver in my voice and the tears that coarse down my face.

Logan frowns and shakes his head slowly. "Fuck …" He groans and hangs his head with a sigh. Grabbing the door handle, he takes a deep breath and begins to exit the jeep. "She can't have gone far."

I look out at the soldiers that are preparing to leave and they watch apprehensively as Logan steps out onto the road. They relax a little as they realise that he is not interested in them right now and they hasten their retreat into their vehicles. I turn back and see Logan sniffing the air and hurrying away from the jeep to the other side of the road. I slowly ease the jeep after him and pull up beside him at the edge of the trees.

"She could be anywhere by now." Logan mutters into the stillness and frowns in thought. He sniffs again and his frown deepens as he suddenly looks down.

I park up the jeep and clamber out to hurry round beside where he is now crouching on the road. "What is it?" I ask quickly and then see the dark puddle that he is staring into. "Oh."

"It's hard to track her with such a strong leftover."

"Surely there'll be a trail of more of this?" I urge as I kneel down beside him and then see what he has found amid the blood. "Oh." I sigh as I watch him turn the feather over in his hand. "Oh fuck."

"Yeah." Logan throws down the feather and groans in dismay. "That about sums up where we are."

I stand slowly and drag a hand through my hair. There's no way we can go back to the mansion empty handed. I watch Logan close his eyes and hang his head in dismay and realise that he's thinking the same thing. We can't go back there. Not if only to watch Scott die.

"Anna …" Logan slowly gets to his feet and sighs as he turns to me. "Anna, we - "

"Wait!" I gasp suddenly and hurry back over to look down into the spilled blood. "Oh shit!" I laugh and pull off my jumper, shuddering as the cold air meets my bare arms. I kneel down and throw the jumper onto the puddle, pressing my hands onto the thick wool.

"What the hell are you doing?" Logan asks in wonder.

"The anti-virus!" I gather the jumper into my arms, folding it up to contain the blood that has soaked into the material. "It must be in her blood!"

"Holy crap!" Logan gasps and hurries with me back to the jeep.

"Jean and the blue guy must be able to do something with this." I stop and glance back up at Logan. "We need to get back there fast. You feeling better?"

"Hell, yeah!" Logan laughs and runs round to the driver's side.

I climb up beside him, clutching the precious cargo close to my chest. "I really hope this works."

"So do I, kid." Logan rams the jeep into drive and slams his foot on the accelerator. "So do I."


	14. Chapter 14

_**ANNA**_

The house is far too quiet as we run through from the garage and hurry down to the infirmary. My heart is in my mouth as we charge through the corridor and Logan skids to a halt outside the door. It doesn't open automatically at his presence and he frowns in concern.

"Jean? Hank?" Logan knocks hard on the door. "Guys?"

I hold my breath as we both look at each other worriedly and then the door opens slightly.

"Hank!" Logan sighs in relief and steps closer to the door. "We found something, Hank. We've got the cure."

"Logan …" I warn softly, we still don't know if the blood on my jumper will be of any use.

Hank has opened the door a little further and his eyes are red from tiredness as he looks across at me. "Mystique's blood." I say quickly, forgetting all my caution as I hold out the jumper towards him. "She's immune. Maybe you can - "

"My god …" Hank mutters softly and steps through the door to take the jumper from my grasp. He smiles as he opens the material and sees the glistening patch on the black wool.

I glance at Logan and see that his excitement matches my own. "Well?" I urge quickly.

Hank nods slowly and takes a deep breath. "This is most useful."

"Oh, thank god!" I laugh softly.

"But it's too late." Hank continues huskily.

I feel like a great weight is pressing on my chest and suddenly I can't breathe.

"What?" Logan asks timidly.

Hank closes up the jumper and hugs it close to his chest. When he eventually looks back up at us, his eyes are brimming with tears and he shakes his head sadly.

"Too … too late?" I stammer after a moment. "What do you mean?"

Hank shrugs his shoulders and steps back into the infirmary. He moves out of the doorway to allow us full view of the room and a sob catches in my throat as I peer inside. The two examination tables and two gurneys are covered with a white sheet but the small shapes beneath the material are unmistakable.

"No!" Logan gasps and walks forward into the infirmary. He stares down at the covered bodies and shakes his head slowly, his fists clenched at his side.

I can't move. I stand in the doorway and gaze in horror at the scene.

"It was too virulent. It had already spread through the house and …" Hank sighs as he wanders closer to Logan. "Jean discovered that the virus can lay dormant for some time, only to reactivate itself when in contact with mutant DNA."

Logan turns slowly and looks up at Hank in disbelief. "What?"

Hank nods slowly, "It's everywhere. Biding its time. Waiting for us to slip up and gain entry to our systems." He turns away from Logan's horrified expression and gazes at the bodies before him. "The children had no chance. Too young. Too vulnerable."

I step forward into the room and swallow back the bile in my throat as I try to avoid looking at the covered beds. "Children?" I manage.

Hank turns to me and nods slowly. "Kitty, Jubilee, Jones and Tracy."

I glance at Logan as Hank recites the list and notice that with each name his shoulders have become a little heavier. It seems as though he'll collapse under the weight at any moment and his fists are trembling. He wants to tear something apart. He wants to let out the rage that is bubbling inside him. I'm sure he regrets not having sliced and diced every single soldier out on that road tonight.

"And Scott?" I ask quietly. Hank closes his eyes at the name and his mouth quivers. I don't think I'm able to watch such an immense man crumble and I turn away slowly to head from the room.

"He slipped into a coma about three hours ago."

I look back and see Hank hang his head in sorrow.

"Jean - " Hank pauses for a moment to collect his thoughts and fight against the sobs that can be heard behind his voice. "Jean wanted to be alone with him."

And that's too much for me now. I sit down hard on a nearby chair and hang my head to let the tears come. Somehow I expect the two men to join me in my surrender but it is only my crying that now echoes around the infirmary.

After a moment I open my eyes and look down at my hands. They are stained with dried blood and I stare at them in wonder. But it feels different this time to see someone else's blood on my fingers and I gasp as I remember our bundle of hope. "We can still save the others." I husk dryly and stand from my chair. "There is still a chance for them."

Hank watches me in silence and takes a deep breath. "Anna … everyone is infected."

"So you're giving in?" I demand suddenly.

"Anna …" Logan cautions gently.

"No! We have to try!" I hurry across the room and snatch the jumper from Hank. Rushing through to the adjoining laboratory, I place the jumper on one of the shiny metal tables and frown as I search the room for something to take a sample of the blood with.

"Anna - " Hank begins as he wanders in after me.

"No!" I look up at his forlorn face and shake my head in defiance. "There's no fucking way that you're not going to even fucking _try _!"

Hank recoils slightly from my outburst and then takes a deep breath. "Absolutely. You're right." He hurries over to the cupboards behind me and pulls out a tray of equipment.

I watch in interest as Hank carefully uses a pipette to remove a tiny sample of blood from the jumper and drops it onto a slide. He places the slide under the microscope and frowns in thought as he watches the image that appears on the monitor.

"It's going to take time to separate out the anti-viral agent." Hank mutters as he moves about the laboratory to collect together various liquids and equipment. "Then I need to replicate it somehow." He stops suddenly and an immense hand is dragged through his thick blue hair. He looks across at me and a smile is dancing on his mouth. "Thank you."

I nod in understanding and decide that I ought to leave him to his work. Walking slowly back through to the infirmary, I realise that Logan has gone and I swallow hard as I avert my eyes from the bodies and make my way up into the main house.

It must be well after midnight now and I wonder if perhaps everyone has gone to bed. Somehow that prospect seems odd and I frown as I walk slowly along the long corridor. The rooms off of the hallway are dark and empty but I'm sure I can hear voices. I follow the sound and swallow hard as I recognise the professor's gentle tone.

I reach the library and peer in through the slightly open door, tears welling in my eyes as I behold the scene. The professor seems to have gathered all of the children here and they are sat close round him, some curled up together on the leather sofas and others sat cross-legged on the floor. He is reading them a story and they are mesmerized at his soft voice.

I look around the room at their calm faces and wonder whether they know. Then I see Ororo sitting in one of the armchairs, a young boy huddled in her lap. She is gently wiping his forehead with a wet flannel and rocking him slightly as he cries. His face is pale and bright bloodstains on his cheeks confirm his infection.

Turning back to the professor, I see the frown of concentration that wrinkles his brow and suddenly I understand. They know what has happened and is still happening. They probably freaked. And Charles is now giving them what Jean has given me a few times before. Peace. A gentle presence in their minds to push aside all the fear and pain.

Suddenly he looks up from the book and smiles thinly as he sees me at the door. His narration is unbroken as he nods slightly and I step into the room. He looks back down and turns the page of the book as he continues with his story.

I perch on a chair inside the door and sigh as his voice fills my mind. His tone is so soothing and I can understand how at least one of the children has now fallen asleep.

_Hank told me what you found._

I look across at the professor and smile as he continues reading aloud. His powers are incredible and I know that he really means that he has read Hank's thoughts. Even from here.

_We haven't given up, Anna. But panic would be futile._

I frown in concern and now feel guilty for having assumed that I knew anything about what has occurred here tonight.

_Don't be angry with us. We have had to watch four of our children slip away. Hank has tried everything he could. And when Jean –_

My heart sinks as I see the pain that flashes across the professor's face and his narration falters for a moment. He quickly regains his composure and leans back in his wheelchair as he focuses his attention back in his story.

I stand slowly and wander from the room. It troubles me that he has sensed my anger. But it seems odd for them to have simply resigned themselves to what they presume is the inevitable. And now I can understand Logan's desire to smash things. It would feel so good right now to wreck something. But I'm tired and bruised.

Wandering past the lounge I suddenly notice that it is not as empty as I had first thought and I peer into the dimly lit room. Two figures sit together in the conservatory at the far end and I watch as they hold each other close. The sound of their gentle crying now reaches me and I feel bad for intruding on their privacy. I can just about make out Logan's profile as he shifts position and pulls the young woman closer to him.

I continue on along the hallway and decide to head for my room. It seems that I'm not needed anywhere right now and I feel lost. I turn down a new corridor and suddenly halt half way. I swallow hard as I turn to look at the door beside me and my heart is racing as I step closer.

I knock gently on the door. Light enough for me to be ignored if need be. There is no answer for a long moment and I am about to step away when I hear the handle turning. I hold my breath as the door opens slowly and I look up into her weary face.

She looks awful. Dark shadows hang under her bloodshot eyes and her face is pale and glistening with sweat. I feel bad for having disturbed her and now am at a loss as to why I did.

"Anna?" Jean husks, the action suddenly bringing on a bout of dry coughing and she covers her mouth with her hand.

"I'm sorry." I offer quietly, "I shouldn't have - "

"Did you find anything?" Jean asks quickly.

Oh, great. The professor hasn't disturbed her, even with potentially good news. Now I feel really bad. I smile thinly and shrug my shoulders. "I'm not sure."

Jean frowns slightly, "What do you mean?"

"Well, Mystique is immune and we brought back a sample of her blood." I watch as Jean's frown deepens. "We didn't hurt her. The soldiers shot her."

"What?" Jean gasps, "Where have you been?"

"To my boss's house." I shrug.

Jean sighs in confusion and steps back from the door. "Come in."

I watch as Jean heads unsteadily across the room and sits down heavily on the sofa by the window. Stepping into the room, I move past the door and my heart slams against my chest as I see him. I can't take my eyes off him and am suddenly grateful for the tears that blur my vision.

He's propped up against the pillows in the double bed, a tube protruding from his lips and tied at the corner of his mouth. The machine beside the bed sighs gently with each mechanical breath and I stare at it in horror.

"I should turn it off, really." Jean says quietly.

I spin back to face her and tears pour down my cheeks as I see the pain in her face. Somehow I manage to move my feet and I close the door gently before making my slow way across the room to sit beside her on the sofa.

"I can't hear him." Jean continues in a whisper, her lips trembling as she fights back tears. "I can always hear him. Even when he sleeps. But this isn't sleep."

I reach out and place my hand over hers.

She instantly grips my fingers tightly and turns to me. "D'you think it might just be because I'm sick? Is that why I can't hear him?"

"I guess." I nod slightly.

"The children weren't like this." Jean mutters, "They slipped away so fast. There was just nothing we could do to - " she stops for a moment to swallow back further tears and then shakes her head slowly. "They were so quiet. I hate it when children are quiet. I can cope when they scream and shout but … when children are quiet you know it's really serious …"

"I'm so sorry, Jean."

"It's not your fault." Jean says quickly and places her free hand on my shoulder. "I know that now. I was wrong to blame you. I'm sorry, Anna."

I nod in understanding and manage a thin smile.

"Mystique's blood?" Jean asks suddenly.

I tell her briefly about our excursion this evening and she smiles as I recount the story. She falls back against the sofa and closes her eyes with a heavy sigh. "Hank says it will take some time," I continue, "But maybe he can make a cure."

"That's wonderful." Jean whispers softly.

I glance across at Scott's still form and take a deep breath. "Maybe if we can give it to Scott …"

Jean opens her eyes and blinks away the tears that have gathered there. They are stained with blood and trickle gruesomely down her cheeks. "He's gone." She offers softly.

I hold my breath as she suddenly seems to realise the truth in her words and her face is contorted with pain. She sits up straight and covers her mouth with her hand as she looks across at him.

"He's really gone." Jean mutters against her palm. She releases her grip on my fingers and stands slowly. "Oh god!" She sobs as she steps closer to the bed and perches on the edge of the mattress.

I can hardly bear to watch as she reaches out and strokes her fingers down his cheek. It feels wrong for me to be here now and I stand from the sofa to leave the room.

"I've laid here with him for a while." Jean says quietly, edging further onto the bed to sit beside Scott. She reaches up and gently removes his glasses. "I had thought that I would know." Jean runs a finger across his closed eyes and a sob escapes her throat. "I thought I would feel it when he went."

"Maybe I should get Hank." I offer softly.

"You said he's busy." Jean shakes her head, "He has to save the children." She smiles suddenly and places her hand on Scott's cheek. "At least you didn't have to see our children suffering, my love."

I close my eyes and again begin towards the door.

"Please don't leave."

I look back and see that Jean is still watching Scott's unmoving face. I wonder whether she was talking to me or him and when she doesn't speak further, I decide it was the latter and continue forwards.

"I don't want to be alone, Anna."

I halt and turn slowly to see that she is looking up at me, fear etched across her face. I take a deep breath and walk round the bed to reach out and place my hand on her shoulder. She moves away from Scott and rests her head on my arm.

"Please stay."

I perch on the edge of the bed and wrap my arms around her shoulders, closing my eyes as she falls against me and begins to weep softly. I stroke my hands through her hair and rock her gently, tears rolling down my cheeks as I look across at Scott. The cardiac monitor is silently displaying the steady rhythm of his heart and I frown as I try to fathom that he is not alive.

"The ventilator is keeping him alive." Jean mumbles against my shoulder and then gasps suddenly. She lifts her head and looks up into my face.

I swallow hard as I see the pain in her eyes and I realise what she is thinking. If she can hear my thoughts then it is not her infection that is preventing her from hearing Scott. I feel my body tense in anticipation of her outburst as the truth hits her once again.

"No!" Jean sobs and turns from me to look at Scott. She flops onto her side on the bed and reaches out to place her hand over his limp fingers. "Oh please, no."

XXXXX

I sat here with Jean until she cried herself into exhausted sleep. I remember a time when she would do the same for me and I am glad that I could repay the kindness but, god, do I wish it were under different circumstances.

This can't be happening. There's a familiar numbness inside me and I hate it. But I'm too weary to do anything but sit here in silence, listening to the rhythmic whooshing of the ventilator. Jean said Hank had not wanted to move him from the lower levels of the mansion but Jean had insisted that this is where Scott would want to be. She said they have twice had to restart his heart and I swallow hard as I notice the relative lack of equipment and realise that it seems if his heart stops again then she does not plan on trying to save him.

I look down at Jean sleeping restlessly in the bed beside Scott and wipe my face. I've long since run out of tears and I stand slowly to wander into the en suite bathroom. I wash my face with cool water and dab my skin dry. The light knocking on the bedroom door then makes me jump and I hurry quietly through from the bathroom.

"Hank?" I gasp and step from the room into the corridor.

Hank is breathless with excitement and holds up the small syringe in his hand. "Ingenious!"

"What?" I frown, my heart racing in anticipation.

"Such a sophisticated virus of course needs to be contained." Hank replies quickly, "They created an anti-viral agent that is even more complex. It doesn't destroy the viral strands but triggers a transformation at the molecular level that - "

"In English. Please!" I smile thinly.

"I was able to identify the trace amounts of antigen in the blood sample and when introduced to the viral agent, it replicates itself! I didn't think we would have enough but they were cautious. They needed to ensure that they could stop the infection if it got out of hand. Most astute! I mean, I understand what they were endeavouring to achieve here but - "

"Hank!" I sigh in exasperation, "Does it work?"

Hank nods eagerly, "Hell, yeah!"

XXXXX

For a while I somehow forgot that I am pregnant. There was too much of everything else churning around my head. But now I ease my body into the warm bath and groan as every muscle aches. Slipping amid the bubbles, I let my head rest back against the tiled wall and a sigh escapes my lips. My son starts to wriggle inside me and I smile as I recall the past evening. I can't believe I really was holding Tate hostage, running from police and dodging bullets at nearly eight months gone.

I think that perhaps I am subconsciously aware of the fact that there is very little that can harm my son and that would account for my recklessness. Or maybe it was because I was in Logan's company. Whatever the reason, I'm regretting it now. My whole body is sore and I need to sleep for at least a week.

I don't regret what we have achieved though. Hank administered the serum he had eventually created and it seems that the cure is doing its job. A lump rises in my throat as I remember trying to convince Jean that Scott should also receive a dose of the anti-viral solution. She was so certain that he was dead and I know what that feels like. I place my hands on my abdomen and feel my son kicking against my palm as I recall how sure I had been that he had died.

Scott woke up ten minutes ago. I had stayed with Jean while she sat with him. Partly because she had not wanted to be alone and also because I was afraid she might turn off the ventilator. She was so sure that he had gone.

The serum took a while to work against the massive infection in Scott's blood but when it eventually started to conquer the virus he began to improve rapidly. One moment Jean was crying with relief as she heard his thoughts loud in her mind and the next we were diving for cover as his eyes blinked open. Fortunately for the ceiling – and us – he was too drowsy to open his eyes long enough for the optic blast to be released and Jean was able to slip his glasses over his eyes.

Content that the cure was working, I made my way here to my room and decided that a hot bath was first priority. And I could easily fall asleep here. But my mind is racing. Here in the quiet of the bathroom, I am recalling all that Mystique and Tate have said to me and I need answers to the questions their words have raised. Answers that I somehow know are somewhere in my memory but just out of my reach.

XXXXX

I had guessed that he might be out here and I smile as I watch Logan playing in the snow with some of the children. They ought to perhaps be staying inside in the warm while they recuperate but I get the feeling that they and Logan make a formidable force to argue with.

"Hey there!" Logan smiles in greeting at me and then dodges a well-aimed icy projectile. "How you doing?" He wanders across the snow-covered lawn towards the kitchen door and laughs as a new missile hits him squarely between the shoulder blades.

I step back into the safety of the kitchen as he approaches, leading the snowball fight towards me. "Have you got a second?" I ask.

"Sure." Logan jogs into the kitchen and closes the door behind him, shaking the snow from his hair as he wipes his feet on the mat.

I sit down at the table carefully and watch him as he sits beside me and regards me in concern. "Covert operations aren't intended for the heavily pregnant." I smile.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, just stiff and sore."

"Oh. Sorry."

"Don't be! It was my idea!" I laugh softly. "And … I've had another one."

"Oh?" Logan raises his eyebrows in interest.

"Yeah," I nod, "But you can tell me to get lost if you want. It's just..." I take a deep breath and smile thinly, "I want to take a trip to Boston and … well … I don't want to go alone. Everyone else is either recovering from the virus or busy helping others to."

Logan nods slowly and then frowns slightly. "You want to visit your mom?"

"Yeah. I need to find some answers and … well, I kinda feel that I need to speak to her about all this." I look down at my bump and shrug my shoulders, "There's every chance that she'll just slam the door in my face but - "

"You have to know." Logan offers and smiles thinly. "I get it." He takes a deep breath and frowns as he looks out the kitchen window at the children playing. "Sure." Logan says after a moment and his smile has grown as he turns back to me. "Why not?"

"You sure?"

"Yeah. We can be there in no time in the jet and either we'll be heading straight back or you can have some quality time with your mom."

"Thanks."

"I'll have to speak to the professor, though." Logan adds.

"Already did." I smile cheekily, "And he agreed that I should take you with me – so I can be sure that it's really my mom that I'm speaking to."

"True!" Logan agrees and then frowns slightly, "When do you plan on going?"

"This afternoon, if that's okay." I reply and watch Logan nod in concurrence. I thank him again and then laugh as he decides he has plenty of time to continue with the snow fight.

XXXXX

I have packed a few things into a bag and am now sat here contemplating seeing my mom. If what Tate said is true, then she may already know about the pregnancy. Or she might be completely shocked. Either way, I have no idea what meeting her after all this time is going to be like. But I do know that asking her about Bryan and my dad is not going to be easy.

A gentle knocking at the door disturbs my musing and I call out to whomever it is to enter. My heart races as I watch the door open slowly and he steps into the room.

"Scott?" I stand quickly from the bed and hurry over to him. "What the _hell_ are you doing up?!"

"You're leaving?" Scott husks.

"You should be resting!" I counter and watch him in concern as he leans wearily against the doorframe.

"Can we talk?" Scott asks softly and steps into the room. I help him stumble through the door and guide him across to the sofa by the window. Scott sits down heavily and collapses against the cushions. His breaths are coming in quick gasps and he takes a long moment for him to compose himself.

"I'd better get Jean." I begin and turn towards the door. I gasp as he grabs my wrist and pulls me back towards him. His face is filled with sorrow and I slowly sit down beside him. "What is it, Scott?"

"You're leaving?" Scott asks again and nods towards the bag on the end of the bed.

I look down at my hands and nod slightly. "I'm going to see my mom."

"I had hoped you might stay with us."

"I might not be gone that long." I look up into his face and see the frown above his glasses, he knows that I'm not planning on coming back no matter what I find. "I need answers."

"We could help you."

"Scott," I sigh, "I need to do this by myself."

"With Logan."

I shake my head slowly, "He's giving me a lift down to Boston, that's all." I groan as I see him clench his jaw and his frown deepens. "Is that what this is about?"

"I don't want you to go."

I smile thinly and place my hand on his arm. "Which is exactly why I should."

"No." Scott protests and jerks his head back up. The action makes him cough and his chest wheezes as he tries to compose himself.

"You shouldn't be here, Scott. You'll be ill again." I urge.

"I'm fine." Scott argues, one hand pressing against his chest as he takes a deep breath and winces in pain. He calms slowly and then turns back to face me. "I thought we had something."

I swallow hard and manage a warm smile. "Whatever it was … we have to let it go."

"Why?"

"Jean." I answer firmly.

Scott nods slowly and lets out a heavy sigh. "I know." He coughs again and I grimace as I hear the rattle in his chest. "And I love her," Scott continues quietly, "But - "

"Don't." I plead softly, "Please."

Scott watches me for a long moment and then smiles thinly. "Okay … if that's what you want. But why leave? Why not stay with us – if only for the sake of your son."

My heart sinks as I realise how much I would love for my child to grow up here among these people. To have their protection and guidance. To have Scott.

"Anna?" Scott urges, "Surely that makes sense?"

"I can't." I sigh.

"Why not?"

"Because I can't cope with being here and not being close to you!" I reply suddenly, a little too harshly. And I wish I hadn't said that. I groan as I see the pain that fills his face and I stand from the sofa. I hug my arms around my chest and swallow back the tears that are brewing.

"I'm sorry." Scott offers after a moment.

I turn back and watch him as he looks down at his hands and his shoulders sink heavily. "Don't be." I say gently and step towards him. I kneel down on the floor before him and place my hands over his. "I owe you so much."

Scott slowly lifts his head to look into my face and frowns in confusion.

"After what those bastards did to me …" I pause as a painful memory from the laboratory tears through my mind.

Scott nods slowly, "Jean and the professor helped you."

"They did," I agree and wrap my fingers around his. "And so did you." I hold my breath as I watch his face relax and a faint smile crosses his mouth. He knows what I mean. And he is also recalling that night. He squeezes my hands gently and his smile fades as he sighs. It's almost too much: the closeness now, the memory of his embrace. Part of me wants to break away and push aside the longing that this moment is creating. I take a deep breath and manage a thin smile. "You made this possible." I offer softly and nod towards our entwined hands. "And I will never forget that."

"But it's not enough." Scott husks and swallows hard. "Not enough to make you want to stay with me."

I free one of my hands from his grasp and reach up to touch his face. I stroke down his cheek and the slight stubble from a few days growth catches on my fingertips. He leans his head into my hand and his shimmering lenses fade as he closes his eyes. My smile falters for a second and I long to tell him the truth. That he breathed life into me and gave me hope. How I love him and hate him for holding me that night. He showed me what was missing from my world and what he could offer me. And now I have to walk away.

"No." I whisper and take a deep breath. "No, Scott. It's not enough."

_Tbc ..._


	15. Chapter 15

ONE OF A KIND 

_**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**_

Morgan Bryce-Walker, wife of the late Senator Alexander Walker,

would like to announce the birth of a grandson, Max Bryan Alex.

Born in Boston General Hospital at 02:17 hrs on December 7th,

weighing 7lb 9oz. Mother and baby are both doing well.

"Well? What do you think?"

I chuckle softly as I read the announcement in the paper and shake my head slowly. "D'you not think we should keep things a little more low-key?" I suggest and glance over at my mother.

"Nah." Mom smiles and continues gently swaying the bundle in her arms as she paces alongside the immense window. "I figure it's better to be bold." She looks down amid the layers of blanket and her smile grows. "He'll be safer if we make a fuss."

"We don't want to attract too much attention." I counter and put down the paper. Resting back against the pillows, I wince as the movement pulls on the weary muscles of my abdomen.

"But we do." Mom argues and cranes her neck to rub her nose against the forehead that can just be seen amid the covers. "He needs the protection of a high profile. And besides, it's my right as his grandmother." She laughs and grins proudly up at me.

"Okay," I concede and sigh heavily. "But …" I frown over at her and then a smile crosses my mouth. "Exactly how much fuss have you made, mom?"

"Oh, not that much."

"Mom?"

Mom sits down on the chair beside my bed and takes a deep breath. "Well, of course, all the family know." She shrugs, her attention focused on the sleeping baby in her arms. "Even some that I had forgotten existed!" She giggles.

"And?"

Mom looks up at me and grins mischievously. "Most of today's press and four of the television networks."

"Mom!"

"Well, your father was very well loved, Anna. He had good friends in high places." Mom explains, "And people like to hear happy news."

I groan in dismay and close my eyes as I let my head flop back against the pillows. "Fine … so long as it's just local." I turn my head to look down at my mother and note her silence. "Mom?"

Mom lays the baby in her lap and adjusts the folds of blanket around his face. "So maybe I called a few other people."

I can't help but laugh in wonder and the movement tugs at muscles that I did not realise existed. Not until I had to push out a baby with them, at least. I close my eyes and sink back against the pillows, sighing as I recall all that has happened. It was nothing like I had expected it to be. I quickly decided after my labour started yesterday morning that every pregnancy book was completely wrong. And I can remember shouting that at my mother when she tried to reassure me. She had some credibility because she had been through it herself but even her gentle placations pissed me off. It hurt like nothing else on earth and all I wanted was every drug available, not reminders on how to breathe. But when we got to the hospital and I knew that help was nearby I calmed down and suddenly the pain was manageable.

Most of the rest of the night is a blur. I was terrified at the thought of a doctor coming anywhere close to me and Mom somehow convinced all of the staff to back off and allow me space. And I can remember Mom supporting me and comforting me and I have no idea what I would have done without her. And the elation of the birth itself has yet to fade. It brings a smile to my mouth as I remember seeing my son emerge and then reaching down to lift him up onto my chest. The feeling of holding him close to me and hearing him gently whimpering a greeting is indescribable.

"Anna?"

I open my eyes and realise that tears are streaming down the sides of my face. I chuckle softly as I wipe them away and turn to see Mom watching me in concern. I shake my head slightly to convey that I'm okay and hold out my arms. She stands from her chair and passes Max to me. I nestle his face against my cheek as I clutch him too me and then take a deep breath.

"I'm so proud of you." Mom mutters and strokes my hair back from my forehead.

I look up into her face and return her gentle smile. I can sense what she is thinking and I share her happiness. We almost left it too long and both feel guilty for not having made contact with each other before. She said she tried to on a few occasions but was unsure of the reception she would get. And until now, I don't think it would have been good.

She was horrified when I told her about how Mystique had impersonated her. The shock of me turning up on her doorstep was enough without the fierce-looking man that was with me and I had quickly explained why Logan was there. Who he was came a little later, after he had decided that I was safe and had returned to New York in the jet. The jet that we had somehow managed to conceal at the far end of Mom's vast garden and at some point I'll have to explain about the scorched grass.

But first there was the matter of my pregnancy to discuss. And here I discovered that she did know something of the story. She said Tate had been in contact with her and told her that I was in trouble. He had said that I had been trying to con his son into believing that the baby was his so that I could claim some of his fortune. It was obvious what he was trying to do. If either Wade or I contacted Mom then she would tell Tate and he could send in a retrieval team.

She had no idea that he was lying and that I was, in fact, hiding in an FBI safe house from Tate and the scientists he was mingling with.

It took Mom a long while to adjust to all that I had told her and I waited to ask her the questions that had been plaguing me for so long. "How did Bryan die?" I began cautiously.

Mom closed her eyes and nodded slowly. "I knew you would find out one day." She offered quietly, "But not like this."

"Mom. Was he a mutant?"

Mom stood from the sofa and walked across to the wide lounge window. She hugged her arms close to her chest and took a deep breath as she looked out over the front garden and her lanes of roses. "Yes."

My heart raced as I watched the pain cross her face and she was quiet for a long moment.

"It was shortly after his fifteenth birthday when we began to notice the changes. Sudden growth and muscle development. Increased appetite and a shorter temper." Mom shook her head in dismay, "The doctor said that it was normal for a boy his age but your father knew what was happening. His friends at the golf course would talk about their work and he had heard them mention mutants."

"Tate?" I offered.

Mom nodded, "Your father and Tate were friends since high school. And there were others; doctors; scientists; lawyers; politicians. All gathering for a harmless round of golf. With no idea where their weekend meets would lead them."

I watched Mom in wonder, unable to fathom that this had been going on around me during my childhood. And now I felt terrible for all the times I cursed my mother for her apparent lack of emotion. If she had to cope with all that I have now seen, I cannot blame her for doing whatever she needed to do to survive.

"What was it?" I asked after a while, "What was his mutation?"

"Strength." Mom answered softly and a smile crossed her mouth at a sudden memory. "He could do some amazing things. One time his car was blocked in and he simply lifted the other car out of the way ..." She tailed off as she lost herself in a distant memory.

I smiled in wonder and then became serious. "How come I never knew?"

"We told him to be careful, to keep it quiet." Mom shrugged, "Your father had seen and heard about how mutants were treated and feared for his safety." She looked back out of the window and took a deep breath. "Then one day your father heard his colleagues talking about these two men in New York that were helping mutants."

"Charles Xavier." I offered quietly.

Mom turned back to me and nodded. "The same man that has helped you. And there was another man but I can't remember his name – Erik something, I think. Well, your father contacted them and arranged for Bryan to meet them." She hung her head and closed her eyes. "But they never got there. Bryan crashed his car on the way to meet your father at the airport."

I swallowed hard as I remembered the night that Bryan died. The images were still clear after all this time and it brought a lump to my throat. I watched mom fighting back tears and didn't want to upset her further but I had to know. "Was it definitely an accident?"

Mom looked up at me and smiled thinly. "Your father asked the police that same question, over and over again. He was sure that someone had found out about Bryan and had arranged the accident. He even wondered if perhaps Bryan was not coping with what was happening to him and had deliberately crashed the car. But the police and witnesses said there was no doubt. The roads were wet after a long period of dry weather and he simply skidded on a sharp bend."

I hung my head and looked down at my hands. After all I had seen over the past seven months, I was unsure that even the reassurances of the police could be believed.

"Why do you ask?" Mom frowned suddenly.

"Something Tate said." I shrugged.

Mom nodded slowly, "I've never liked him. Most of your father's friends seemed like decent, pleasant people. But there was something about Tate that I didn't trust. I was glad when he moved to New York and didn't have time to meet up with your father any more."

We talked long into the night and it was somewhat difficult but then that was to be expected after such a long time. The occasional uncomfortable silences seemed more believable than the instant bonding that had occurred with the Mystique version of my mother. And I wonder now how I could have been so easily fooled. But, as I've thought before, at that point I needed exactly what Mystique had offered.

A gentle knocking pulls me from my thoughts and I look up as Mom wanders across the room to open the door. She shrugs as she glances back at me and steps back so I can see whom it is that is standing in the corridor.

"Claire?" I gasp suddenly, "My god! Come in!"

The young woman steps into the room and smiles in greeting.

"Mom, this is the midwife that visited me in L.A."

"Really?" Mom enthuses and shakes Claire's outstretched hand. "You came all this way?"

Claire shrugs and steps further into the room. "I was in the neighbourhood. So, let's see him then!" She chuckles and places her bunch of flowers on the bedside table as she approaches me.

"Anna, I'm just going to get something to eat." Mom calls, glad for the opportunity to have a break, and grabs her cardigan and purse as she heads out the door.

I watch the door close and then turn to Claire. "I wondered when I'd see you again."

Claire looks up from admiring the sleeping Max and smiles warmly.

"How are you?"

Claire stands up straight and shrugs her shoulders. Her face ripples and in a moment she has reverted back to a familiar blue form. "I'll be fine." Mystique replies in her strange, inhuman voice. "Did it work?"

I nod slowly. "Thank you." I offer sincerely and then smile up at her. "Logan was real mad at you for dumping us in the shit like that. So your secret is still safe."

"Secret?" Mystique raises her eyebrows inquisitively.

"That you're not the evil bitch you pretend to be."

"Oh no?" Mystique laughs softly.

My smile falters as I watch her for a moment and I shake my head slightly. "They lost four of their children, Mystique."

Mystique holds me in her gaze for a moment and then shrugs her shoulders. "It was the only way. I knew they would be able to recreate the anti-virus. I had no choice." She frowns slightly and takes a deep breath. "I had no idea it would spread so fast."

I watch her for a moment and have no idea whether she is speaking the truth. Suddenly I wish Logan were here to tell me for certain, or Jean or the professor. And the aching in my chest as I realise how much I miss them brings a lump to my throat. I swallow it back and pull Max closer against me. "You could have just given me the anti-viral, though – instead of all the hassle of getting shot and me having to collect the blood."

Mystique smiles again. "And then what would happen to my bitch-from-hell cover story?"

"True." I agree, "I panicked for a moment when you disappeared but then Logan smelled the blood."

"Predictable as ever." Mystique chuckles, "But what about you? Creating a disturbance at Tate's house was brilliant."

"And rewarding." I add, "Watching him suffer was well worth all the trouble of trying to get your attention."

Mystique laughs and sits down on the chair beside the bed. "D'you think they know?" She asks after a moment.

I frown in thought and take a deep breath. "I'm not sure. Their focus was on the children and no one said anything. But whether they would have anyway…" I shrug.

"Far too trusting." Mystique sneers.

"And you're not?"

"You have to earn trust," Mystique replies, "You proved yourself when you didn't reveal me in the mansion when I gave you that disk. And you could easily have told them of your suspicions about my agenda."

"Well, when it comes to you they are anything _but_ trusting!" I smile thinly, "In fact, I think you and your friend Erik are the only people they really have a dislike of."

Mystique nods slowly, "When they should be focusing their attention on fighting the humans – not their own kind."

I nod slowly and frown in thought. "What happens next?"

"I gave the sample I took from the laboratory to an old acquaintance. He'll reproduce the viral agent and I'll deposit it in the appropriate places."

I close my eyes and try not to think of how I have deceived everyone at the school and how disappointed they will be if they ever find out. It was easy to get Logan out of the house and although it was a genuine reason, I don't want to be in his vicinity when he finds out that Mystique used the opportunity to get inside.

"You okay?" Mystique asks softly. "You're not having second thoughts about all this?"

"No." I open my eyes and turn to her with a thin smile. "We have to finish what we started. It's just … it worries me that I knew all of this without realising it … that there is information in my mind that no one seems to have known about – even me – and despite the number have times they have read me." I shake my head slowly, "I need answers, Mystique … but every new piece of information I discover only leads to more questions. And now I can't go back and ask them to look further."

"Anna," Mystique sighs and stands slowly. She places her hand on my arm and smiles down at me. "You don't belong with them. You never did and you never will. People like you and me, we have to find our own way in this world." Her smile fades and her gaze moves to my quietly sleeping son. "And in order to do that we have to ensure that there is no one out there that might harm us."

I watch her quietly and then look down to see her gently stroking a blue, scaly finger down Max's cheek. I chuckle softly as I look back up at her and meet her gaze. "You know, I was so sure that he was going to be blue."

Mystique nods in understanding. "They removed the portion of the gene that causes the pigmentation. And the scales." She smiles and shakes her head in wonder. "He's going to be something amazing, Anna."

"Yeah," I lean my head down to rest my cheek on Max's forehead and smile in contentment. "He can be whatever he wants to be and no one will ever hurt him."

"One of a kind." Mystique agrees. "Tell me, when did you figure it out?"

"After you helped Scott and me escape the laboratory." I reply and smile up at her. "I knew there had to be a good reason for you to have helped us. Even when I realised that you had kept steering me back to the mansion to ensure the virus was released there, I sensed that there was something else involved."

"And you didn't say anything to them?"

"I saw how much they hated you!" I answer quickly, "It was far safer not to suggest that the child they kept protecting might be connected to you."

Mystique smiles thinly and sits back down on her chair. I watch her for a moment, feeling suddenly sad that there has to be this divide and wishing that I could take her to the school and they would welcome her inside.

I'm torn from my musing suddenly as the door opens and I gasp as mom wanders into the room. I quickly glance at Mystique and see that Claire the midwife is calmly sitting beside me and reading the paper.

"Sorry, honey – did I make you jump?" Mom asks worriedly, "Were you sleeping?"

"No. It's okay, Mom." I smile and quietly let go the breath I was holding.

"So. Have you two managed to catch up?" Mom asks cheerily.

"Yeah!" I enthuse, "It's actually really freaky. Claire was visiting relatives nearby and saw your advert in the paper."

"So, it was a good thing I announced Max's arrival to the world." Mom grins.

"Yeah, Mom. Whatever." I smile.

Mom and I somehow managed to get some shopping done in the days before Max arrived and we were fortunate that we could. It's amazing that we managed to buy so much stuff so quickly but I guess that is one of the perks of having a rich family and stores that will deliver anything to my mother just because of who her husband was.

We came home from the hospital a few days ago and I've done nothing but lounge around in my pyjamas. Mom has commented more than once that all I have worn since we went shopping is this same cotton two-piece. But it feels wonderful to be at home and so relaxed. It's strange to now have a little person to worry about but it's wonderful to have my body back. Sort of. I've moved on from being an incubator to a milk machine but at least I can lie on my front and wear normal clothes again – which I will do as soon as I have a reason not to simply stay in my pyjamas.

I'm sat here now in the immense lounge munching on dry cereal and watching daytime television. Mom is chatting to one of her friends on the phone and I roll my eyes in amusement as she begins again her proud grandmother speech. She must have told fifty people now, at least, that Max smiled at her last night. He's only 6 days old and I keep telling her it's wind but she won't listen. And I'm not really complaining. I think it's wonderful that she is so pleased.

It's still a little odd being here with her but we seem to have moved beyond worrying about the past. And that is thanks to Max's presence and the future he keeps reminding us that we have now. I look down at him and smile as I watch him guzzling contentedly at my breast. Milk is dribbling onto his cheek and he's mumbling to himself as he suckles eagerly.

I look up as I hear the doorbell ring and then listen to the footsteps that cross the hall. It's going to take me a while to again get used to having staff around looking after us and I frown as I try to make out whom the butler is talking to. He's welcomed someone into the lobby and I hear him instructing whomever it is to wait there for a moment.

My heart is racing as footsteps now approach the lounge door and the butler wanders into the room. I panic every time someone comes to call and then curse myself for being stupid as Mom introduces me to one of her friends or the tradesmen that work on the upkeep of the house and garden.

"Miss Walker, there is a young gentleman here to see you." The butler announces merrily in his clichéd English accent.

He's a lovely man but it's still feels weird. I remember thinking as much when I was a child. It was a different butler then but William seems very pleasant.

"He says his name is Scott Summers."

I stare open-mouthed at the butler and can't move.

"Anna?" Mom has paused her phone conversation for a moment, her hand over the receiver as she frowns at me in concern. "Are you okay?"

"I …" Somehow I manage to collect my thoughts and I prize Max off of my breast and adjust my clothes. "Here, take Max." I say quickly and lay him over mom's shoulder.

Mom smiles as Max begins to search hungrily around her neck for more food and she laughs as she explains her predicament to her friend on the phone. She watches me in intrigue as I try to make myself look somehow more presentable and now I wish that I had listened to her and put some clothes on. There's old milk stains on my cropped pyjama top and my hair must be a mess. I groan in dismay and wander out into the hall.

He's got his back to me as he admires the paintings on the wall beside the front door and I swallow hard as I pad bare-footed across the wooden floor. "Scott?"

Scott turns and smiles warmly in greeting. "Anna." He frowns slightly and his smile fades a little. "How are you?"

"Good." I reply and then laugh softly. "Surprised."

He nods and shrugs his shoulders. "I did try to call but - "

"I know, I know. Mom has been holding a baby conference with all of Boston for the past few days!"

Scott's smile returns and he holds out the bag in his hand. "That's why I came down here. We heard the news. Congratulations!"

"Thanks!" I step forward and take the bag from him, peering inside curiously.

"We wanted to send flowers but then I thought maybe I'd stop by." Scott offers.

"I'm glad you did." I smile, "It's good to see you."

"You, too."

"Oh, listen to us!" I chuckle softly, "You'd think we hadn't seen each other for years! It's only been two weeks!"

"Is that all?" Scott sighs slightly, "Feels longer."

I watch him for a moment and feel suddenly uncomfortable in his gaze. "Oh, where are my manners?" I laugh nervously, "Do come in."

"Thanks." Scott smiles and then follows me through to the lounge.

Mom quickly ends her conversation as she sees Scott enter the room behind me and she stands slowly, readjusting Max over her shoulder.

"Mom, this is Scott Summers. From the Xavier Institute." I offer merrily and hurry over to take Max from her.

"Hello!" Mom quickly crosses the room and shakes Scott's hand warmly. "Anna has told me a great deal about the school. I must thank you for taking such good care of her."

"It was a pleasure." Scott smiles.

"Do sit down." Mom urges and watches him as he relaxes back against the cushions. "How was your flight?"

"Actually, I drove down."

"You did?" I gasp.

"Yeah." Scott turns to me and his smile falters a little. "I needed some time on my own."

I swallow hard as he again watches me and I can't read the expression behind his ruby lenses.

"You must be exhausted," Mom sighs, "That's a five hour trip."

Scott grins and shrugs his shoulders, "I guess it should be."

I wander over to the window and smile as I see the sleek sports car parked on the drive. I want to ask him how long the trip did take and nod in approval as I look out at the car. But Mom hates talking about speeding and is even now frowning in concern as she regards Scott. I return to the sofa and sit down beside him.

"So, this is your son?" Scott offers.

"Yeah!" I move Max from my shoulder and turn him round to face Scott. "This is Max."

Scott holds out his arms and smiles down at Max as he takes him from me. "Hey, buddy!" He laughs as Max grumbles a reply.

"He's just fed, so he might be windy." I apologise in amusement.

"Aw, he's cute!" Scott grins and sits Max on his knee. "He looks like you."

I smile as I regard my son, with his dark hair and pale skin. The resemblance is clear but my smile falters as I remember that it will not always be this way. I'm then aware of Scott watching me and I take a deep breath. "You know, I think I'll go put some clothes on."

"Will wonders never cease!" Mom laughs.

I shoot her a playful glare and stand from the sofa. "I'll be right back." I offer and hurry from the lounge. I gallop up the stairs and head for my room, my heart pounding in my ears as I sit down heavily on my bed. "Oh god, Scott …" I whisper into the empty room, "Why are you here?"

I've pulled on black trousers and a silk blouse and am now pulling my hair back from my face. I frown at myself in the mirror as I wonder if I'm making an effort for myself or for Scott. With a sigh, I check how I look and head back downstairs.

"Nonsense! It's no trouble!" Mom is saying as I enter the lounge.

"What isn't?" I ask merrily.

Mom looks up at me and smiles in approval at my outfit. "I told Scott he can stay in one of the guest rooms."

"Oh." I turn to Scott and smile thinly. "Sure."

Scott looks away from me and frowns as he looks down into his coffee. William has placed an array of drinks and food on the table in the centre of the room and smiles warmly as he finishes arranging the plates and wanders from the room.

I watch Scott for a moment and my heart is racing. I know there's more to his visit than meets the eye and I'm not sure if I want to hear what he obviously needs to say. But my curiosity is going to get the better of me sooner or later. "Mom…" I turn and see her smiling down at Max as he drifts to sleep in her lap.

She looks up at me in interest and her smile then grows as she gathers him into her arms and stands slowly. "I'll leave you guys to catch up."

"Thanks." I offer quickly and watch her wander from the room.

Scott looks up at me as the door closes behind Mom and he smiles warmly. "You look good." He offers softly.

I sit down on the sofa opposite him and nod in thanks at the compliment. "You look tired." I counter gently.

Scott looks back down into his drink and shrugs his shoulders slightly. He sighs before slowly lifting his head to face me again. "It's been a tough few weeks."

My heart slams against my chest as I realise what he is referring to and suddenly all my worries seem so very insignificant. "The funerals." I sigh in dismay.

Scott nods slowly, "And generally recovering from what happened."

He looks so sad and I take a deep breath as I stand and move to sit beside him. "I'm so sorry."

I say softly and watch as he puts down his coffee and turns to face me.

"And you're a mommy." Scott says cheerily, eager to change the topic.

I grin and shrug my shoulders slightly. "Yeah."

Scott smiles, "It suits you."

"Thanks." I smile up at him. "I don't think I'd be able to cope so well if I didn't have my mom's help."

Scott nods, "It was a good decision to contact her."

"Yeah. Better late than never."

Scott nods slowly and then frowns as he regards me for a moment. "And you think you'll be safe here?"

"I hope so." I chuckle softly and then see the sincerity on his face. "Yeah. Mom contacted a few of my father's old friends and they gave us advice. She even managed to track down this guy that used to work for my dad and he was only too happy to look after me and Max."

"No one challenged me when I arrived." Scott counters.

"You scoping the place?" I laugh, "Well, maybe there isn't the fancy security that you're used to and we don't have a Wolverine but …" I shrug my shoulders and take a deep breath, "I think we'll be okay. Besides, I'm sure William is ex-MI5 or 007 or something."

"The butler?" Scott laughs at the image and then suddenly starts coughing. He takes a moment to recover and raises his hand in an apology.

"You okay?"

"Fine." Scott says firmly and takes a sip of his drink.

I shrug my shoulders and force a smile to my lips, sensing clearly that he doesn't want to discuss how he is really feeling. "I'm quickly getting used to being here again." I chuckle, "With a butler and a cook and a chauffeur … It's a tough job but someone's got to do it."

Scott nods slowly and his smile fades as he sits back and turns to me. "I've missed you, Anna."

I hold my breath for a moment and then let out a heavy sigh. "Scott…" I turn away from him and look down at my hands. "Does Jean know you're here?"

"Yeah. It was her idea." Scott replies, "She was getting fed up with me moping around the place."

I spin back to him and try to read the sombre expression behind his glasses. God, what has he told Jean?

"I've been removed from active duty and half of my classes have been cancelled so I can rest." Scott continues, "I've been bored out of my mind!" He chuckles softly and the action brings on another bout of fierce coughing.

"Hey." I place my hand on his shoulder and watch in concern as he slumps back against the cushions. "That sounds nasty."

"You should see the other guy." Scott shrugs.

"I'm serious, Scott. You okay?"

"I will be." He explains with a sigh. "Hank said my lungs are damaged from the infection."

I look up into his sombre face and shake my head slowly. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Scott smiles thinly, "I owe you my life."

"No, you don't." I argue softly and then swallow hard, afraid that if I say much more then I'll reveal the truth.

Scott watches me for a moment and then takes a careful deep breath. "Hank and Jean have been working on the virus non-stop since you left."

"They have?" I ask coolly.

"Yeah." He nods and reaches out to place a hand on my arm. "We know the truth, Anna."

Now my heart is really speeding and I'm lost for words. I watch him for a moment and then swallow hard. "You do?" I manage.

Scott nods and a frown slowly forms. "Why did you lie, Anna?"

"I…" I look away from him and close my eyes, a lump forming in my throat. "I didn't do it intentionally … I didn't know." I begin. "It was only when the professor triggered a memory from long ago that I realised and then the pieces started to fit together. And then he sent me to the safe house and I had a lot of time to think. I didn't say anything because I was scared. And I knew what might happen if I - " I lift my head to look at him and my heart sinks as I see that his frown has deepened. "Oh god …" I groan, "You have no idea what I'm talking about …"

Scott shakes his head slowly and sits forward to place his hands on my shoulders. "Anna?" He groans slightly, "What's going on?"

"Oh fuck …" I hang my head and close my eyes.

"Please tell me."

I blink away my tears and look back up at him. "What did Jean find out?"

"That the anti-virus was not the cure you said it was." His frown fades and he sighs heavily, "She thought that it was strange that you were so adamant that there was a cure and guessed that you must have known about the virus all along."

"No!" I gasp suddenly, "I figured out that Mystique knew about the virus and that was why she kept steering me back to the school. And then the memories started to surface. But only after you had been infected. Scott I would never have intentionally - "

"I know." Scott smiles softly and squeezes my shoulders in reassurance. He then becomes serious once more and there again is that gentle frown. "What memories?"

I watch him for a moment and then stand slowly to walk across to the front window. I don't know why but I don't want to be near him when he hears what I have remembered.

"Anna?" Scott urges softly, watching me in concern from across the room.

"Tate warned me that all this was bigger than I could imagine." I begin quietly, gazing out at the winter afternoon as tears cloud my vision. "The experiments have been going on for years – even your professor knows that. But what I started to remember was that I had been involved for much longer than just the year or so that we had assumed." I take a deep breath and wipe my face with my hands. "The memories that started to surface went right back to just after my father died."

"Oh god …" Scott gasps and stands to walk across to me.

I shake my head as he nears me and hold up my hand to him. He stops a short distance from me and sighs in dismay as he understands the signal and reluctantly keeps his distance. "They altered my memory." I continue and turn to him, fresh tears falling as I see the pain in his face. "My life since I was 19 has been controlled by them. I guess they were waiting for the chance to get to me and when dad died …"

"Anna …" Scott sighs.

I watch him struggling against the urge to cross the gap between us and gather me into his arms. "I kept asking why? Why me?" I smile thinly and swallow back the lump in my throat. "But then it started to make sense."

"What did?" Scott urges carefully.

"Why I don't look like my father." I watch his shoulders droop as he realises what I am saying and I nod slowly. "Mom said she wanted to tell me … but she could never find the words and after all that we had been through with my brother's death … and then my dad." I laugh softly and look back out at through the window. "Only they weren't my brother or my father."

Scott groans and steps a little closer to me. "I'm so sorry."

I nod again and turn back to his sincere face. "It makes sense." I shrug, "It explains why my mother could never relate to me. She looked at me and all she saw was what they had done to her." I see his shock and smile thinly. "It turns out, we have a lot in common. We had a long talk last week … with many tears."

"Anna …" Scott finally steps up to me and places his hand on my shoulder. "I had no idea."

"I think the professor does." I shrug, "And Jean must have touched on something. But I guess they think it's better for me to remember this myself."

"They do have certain telepathic ethics." Scott agrees.

"That's what Logan said." I nod and am aware of him tensing slightly.

Scott takes a deep breath and moves closer. "Have you spoken to him about this?"

I smile slightly, "Not exactly."

"He's been through this." Scott continues.

"I know."

Scott slips his arm around my shoulders and pulls me towards him. "We're your friends. We care a great deal about you. You could have spoken to any of us, Anna."

"No." I step away from him and lean on the back of the sofa. "I couldn't."

"Why?"

I turn back to him and don't know how to put into words the pain inside me. I then frown as I hear hurried footsteps across the lobby and the sound of a baby crying. The lounge door opens and mom shrugs an apology as she steps into the room.

"I'm sorry!" Mom laughs gently, "I couldn't keep him distracted any longer."

I smile as I see the hungry baby in her arms and I hurry over to her. "That's okay. Thanks, Mom." I take Max from her and try to soothe him as I cuddle him close to me.

"You guys okay?" Mom asks carefully, having noticed my tearstained face.

"We're fine." I nod in reassurance.

"You still need some time." Mom smiles in understanding and waves as she exits the room. "I'm around if you need me." She calls and closes the door behind her.

I sit down on the sofa and rock Max gently as he cries into my shoulder. Scott wanders back to the other sofa and smiles as he watches me with my son. He looks away politely as I begin to unbutton my blouse and I position Max across me.

"The virus has been reversed." Scott says quietly as he turns back to me.

I look up from latching Max onto my breast and rest back against the cushions as he begins to suckle hungrily.

"The anti-virus was not designed to destroy it." Scott continues, "It altered it at the molecular level to change its target."

I nod slowly and let out a heavy sigh. "I know."

"We can't let this happen, Anna."

"What?" I laugh suddenly, "After what they did to you! To me! You've got to be kidding!"

"Anna, it's wrong. If the virus gets out then hundreds, maybe thousands, of innocent people will be killed."

I look away from him and turn my attention to Max. "Not necessarily." I hear him gasp slightly and I take a deep breath before looking back up at him. "Once those responsible have been punished, the doctors will suddenly find a cure."

"Anna," Scott husks, "What have you done?"

I shrug my shoulders and frown slightly. "Nothing."

Scott watches me in silence and nods slowly. "Where is she?"

"You know, you're so wrong about her." I say suddenly and see him flinch slightly at my raised voice. "And you're such hypocrites. This 'love everyone' shit that the professor spews out only refers to the ones you decide are worthy."

"That's not true."

"Oh no? Then why not give Mystique a chance?" I shout angrily.

"Anna, I don't know what she's been telling you but - "

"But what? It's all lies? Well, that's nothing new. I've been lied to for years! Why should she be any different, huh?" I shake my head in dismay and sigh in annoyance. "Is it so hard for you to understand that maybe some of us have no choice but to do whatever we can to survive?"

"Including murder?" Scott demands carefully.

I hold his gaze for a moment and can feel the tears that are building in my eyes.

"Mystique didn't kill those soldiers. Did she, Anna."

My heart slams against my chest and I close my eyes, tears overflowing down my face. "Did Jean tell you?" I manage quietly.

"No." Scott replies, "Logan. He said he saw it in your eyes."

I smile thinly and nod in understanding. "I guess he would." I take a deep breath and wipe my eyes as I look back at Scott. "But, when he thought he had smelled her, it was easier to let you think that she had been there. I knew how you hated her and used it to hide from what I had done."

Scott watches me for a moment, disappointment etched across his face. He then frowns and shakes his head slightly. "So, if she wasn't there … why did he pick up her scent?"

"I don't know." I answer quickly and shrug my shoulders.

Scott's frown deepens for a second and then fades as he sighs heavily and rests back against the cushions. "What a mess …" He groans and begins to cough again.

I watch him struggling to breathe and can feel panic building inside me. I remember seeing him lying in the infirmary, blood oozing from him as every organ began to fail. Suddenly I can imagine others having to witness their loved ones in agonizing death and I know I can't go through with this. "Scott…" I say quietly, "Mystique has the reconfigured virus. She is going to distribute it to all the names involved in the experiment. Everyone mentioned on the disk she gave me."

Scott has calmed now and sits forward to frown at me in concern. "When?"

"I'm not sure."

"Oh fuck …"

"I'm sorry, Scott." I offer softly.

Scott nods and smiles thinly. "So am I." His smile fades and he looks away from me. "Did you get what you needed?"

I watch him in confusion as he nods at a reply that I cannot hear. My heart then races as he turns back to shrug me an apology.

"What's going on?" I demand.

Scott reaches up to unbutton his shirt and peels the material open to show me the small wire that is taped to his chest.

"Scott?" I shake my head in bewilderment and then hear the front door bell ring. I frown in concern as I hear mom answer the door and she gasps in horror. I look down and see that Max has fallen asleep. I cover up my exposed breast and stand quickly, clutching Max to me as I hear someone running through the lobby.

"Anna?" Mom frowns in confusion at me as she bursts into the room.

I look past her to see the man that is entering the house. I hold Max tighter against my chest and turn to Scott. I stare at him in horror as he slowly stands from the sofa and makes his way across the room.

Scott looks back as he reaches the door and sighs heavily. "I wish it didn't have to be this way." He husks.

"What?" I gasp. "Scott?"

"Anna Walker?" The middle-aged man has reached the lounge and nods in greeting to Scott before turning to me. He holds up his wallet and shows me the badge and ID contained inside. "Special Agent Kingsley." He begins sternly, "I'm arresting you for the murder of seven army personnel and in connection with the death of five FBI agents."

Mom gasps and turns to me in horror.

"Scott!" I cry out in confusion and anger.

Scott falters as he continues on across the lobby and he glances back at me. He shakes his head slowly and I see the tears that are running down his pale cheeks.

"Anna, what's going on?" Mom asks worriedly.

"Scott?" I shout urgently.

"You have the right to remain silent." The agent continues.


	16. Chapter 16

_**LOGAN**_

The low grey clouds hang oppressively over the city and seem to be holding in the icy chill that has developed. Recent snow has added to the slippery covering of the ground and I tread carefully as I hastily follow them up to the front of the building. The weather back in New York has been dreadful over the past few weeks and it's no coincidence that Ororo has been inconsolable in her grief since the night the children died. Or were killed. Depending on your point of view, I guess. But I would be happier right now with the fierce winds and blizzards that have plagued us in New York; it matches the anger that is raging inside me much better than the dismal gloom of this city.

I take a deep breath, channelling my fury and trying to find the calm in my core. Ororo's hippy mumbo jumbo. It never worked for me. Not that she's not exactly practising what she preaches right now, with the electrical storm a few nights ago that caused power disruptions across most of the state and the drifts that have blocked three main highways. I smile in wonder at the vastness of her power and then suddenly realise that thinking of her has made me calmer. I make a mental note to tell her that later, it might lift her spirits a little.

I'm pulled from my thoughts as we enter the building. I frown as I look around at the modest foyer and try to recall the map the professor showed me this morning. He wanted to come here himself but we both knew he couldn't leave the mansion right now. The children need him. He told me he would phone ahead and then explained where to go and who to ask for. I did as he instructed and that has brought me here. To the outskirts of Boston and a secure government facility. The very name makes my blood boil but I smile a greeting as we are walked through the security check.

I hold my breath as the guard waves a hand-held metal detector up and over my body. The machine has been disabled somehow and I watch in amusement as the sensor reads nothing from me. The guard smiles a quick apology before nodding quickly and welcoming us further inside. My two escorts lead me down a long corridor and we wait for the end gate to be buzzed open before stepping into the centre of the building. I shudder as we pass eerily quiet cells, the occupants watching us in silent interest as we walk by.

At the end of the row we turn down a new corridor and I squint at the sudden glare of the whitewashed walls. These cells are spaced further apart and heavy steel doors have replaced the more familiar iron bars.

"Here." The guard indicates the door at the end of the corridor and takes a key from the collection that hang from his belt.

"Thank you." One of my suited companions nods politely and watches the guard open the door. "We'll be fine from here. We'll call if we need you."

"Sure." The guard smiles, a little too smugly for my liking, and steps back from the entrance.

I frown as I follow my escorts into the room and my heart slams against my chest as I see the occupant. Strapped down to a narrow gurney, the leather restraints dark with blood from struggling against them, she stares blankly up at the ceiling.

"She attacked two guards during transfer and another last night when they came in to check on her."

I look over at one of the suits and watch him reading through the charts that were pinned up outside the cell.

"My god ..." I groan in dismay and step further into the room. As I approach the bed I can see the yellow staining of old bruises on her face and I reach out towards her. "Anna?" I swallow hard as Anna makes no response and continues to stare up with unfocused eyes.

"She's heavily sedated."

I look back and see one of my companions shrug an explanation. "Then why tie her up?" I demand coolly.

"Listen …" The young man steps towards me and his smile fades. "I don't know what you were expecting to find here but …" He glances at the still form of Anna behind me. "She's extremely dangerous."

I can't help the smile that forms on my tight lips and I watch him in interest.

"Look. We were told to bring you here to see her." The suit continues, "So, you've seen her."

"Leave." I order softly.

"What?" Both the agents are now regarding me in apprehension.

"I'd like to be alone with her."

"I don't think that's a very good idea." The agent that was quietly reading the charts has now found his voice and steps up beside his colleague. "Our orders - "

"Your orders, as I understand it, were to cooperate with me fully." I say coolly, "Now, are you gonna leave or am I going to have to call your boss?" I watch them glancing worriedly at Anna and I hold out my hands towards them. "I've gone through countless security checks with you guys." I urge and then nod behind me. "And if you're worried about her … just look at her."

The suits nod begrudgingly and slowly wander from the room. They leave the door ajar and I can hear them mumbling their disapproval in the corridor. I sigh as I turn back to Anna and step closer to the bed. "Oh god …" I groan and reach out to touch her bare arm above the leather strap. "Anna … I don't know if you can hear me but we're gonna get you out of this." I begin quietly, stroking her skin gently. "I wish I could help you now but …"

I look down at my hands and swallow hard. I could do it. I could easily get her out of here. But at what cost. And my reservations are evidence that I have obviously absorbed some of what Ororo tells me.

"We'll find a way." I say firmly and lean over her to place my hand on her cheek. "I promise." She doesn't flinch at my touch, she doesn't even blink and I shake my head as I turn away.

"Logan?"

I halt as I reach the door and hear her weak voice behind me. Turning back, I watch her slowly close her eyes and then my heart races as she turns her head and looks up at me. "Anna?" I gasp and walk quickly back over to her. "Hey there." I offer and smile warmly down at her.

Anna's face is expressionless and she watches me for a moment, her heavy eyes void of any emotion. Then she licks her dry lips and takes a deep breath. "Logan." She sighs.

"I'm here." I nod, "I tried to get here straight away but there's policies and procedures and - "

"Why?" Anna whispers.

I chuckle softly, "Because you pissed them off, honey." I reach out and place my hand on her arm. "And they think you're kinda dangerous."

"No." Anna gives a slight shake of her head and suddenly a frown etches itself down her forehead. "Why'd he do this to me?"

I watch the tears that are forming in her tired eyes and remember the information that Charles' contact forwarded to us. "It wasn't Scott." I offer softly.

Anna closes her eyes and turns away from me, tears trickling down the sides of her face. "Leave me alone."

I frown in concern and watch her for a moment. Somehow this was not the reaction that I had expected. "Anna, we're gonna help you. We'll get you out of here."

"Go away!" Anna husks weakly.

"No." I reply firmly. "You have to hang on, Anna. You have to be strong." My quiet words hang in the air of the cell. I want to shout at her, I want to get through to her but I don't want the guards to hear me. I know that I can handle them if they do try to remove me from the cell but I told the professor that I could behave. And I promised Jean that I would be calm.

"I can't."

I'm torn from my musing as Anna turns back to me, her face full of despair.

"I can't do this anymore, Logan."

"I know." I smile thinly and reach out again to stroke her fringe back from her face. "But you only need to hang on for a little while. We'll get you out of this."

Anna watches me for a long moment and her frown deepens. "It wasn't Scott?"

I shake my head slowly. I want to tell her it couldn't have been. I want to tell her how Scott suddenly collapsed last week. But I can't add to her pain. Not like this.

"But … it couldn't have been Mystique … I helped her … she …"

Anna trails off and I watch the alarm and confusion that crosses her face. Now I'm wishing that I had never listened to anyone else's advice but my own. We would all be a lot better off if Mystique had been sliced into pieces on one of the many opportunities I have had to –

"They've got Max!" Anna gasps loudly. "Oh god! They must have him! Logan, they - "

I place my hand gently over her mouth and shake my head in warning as I glance at the door. I can feel her lips trembling beneath my fingers and can hear the sobs that she is now desperately trying to contain. I watch the fear that is building behind her eyes and I manage a thin smile. "I'll find him."

"Logan." Anna manages as I move my hand away. "Get me out of here."

"I can't."

"You can't?" Anna frowns, "You mean you won't."

I shake my head again, "Anna, don't." I watch her in apprehension, waiting for the inevitable outburst. The protesting that I know I would do if I were her. But she is silent as she looks up at me and her frown fades as she nods slowly.

"They'll let you out of here if you calm down." I offer after a moment and glance around at the cream padded walls of the small room. A room that I know I would completely lose it in. "Don't fight them and they'll move you to a nicer cell." I don't know how I know this but I do. And then I smile as I realise that the words 'nice' and 'cell' don't work in the same sentence.

"They said I'll be here for the rest of my life." Anna mutters softly as she watches me. "They said the death penalty was too good for me."

"Don't listen to them!" I order quietly. "You hear me? Don't listen to the fuckers! What you did was in self-defence. You know that and I know that."

"How? How can you know that?"

"I just do." I answer softly, "And so does Charles."

Anna watches me silently and fresh tears well in her eyes. "How much does he know, Logan?"

I hesitate for a moment, unsure how to answer. The truth is that Charles has not told me all that he knows, that much I could tell when we spoke last night. He knows something and he's talked to Jean about it.

"Logan?"

"Okay, that's long enough."

The suits have blustered back in through the door. I knew that they had heard us talking and am now grateful for the influence that Charles has obviously developed over the assistant director. The gentle persuasion of his mind that has ensured the cooperation of the very people that have helped betray us. That much the professor did tell me. How this cosy little group that Tate started has seeped into every branch of the government.

"Time to go." The suit urges.

I stand up straight, clenching my fists as I see the despair in Anna's face. I want to argue. I want more than anything to get her out of here but I can't risk it. And not just because of my promises back at the mansion but also because if I don't succeed, I know what they'll do to her. I turn towards the suit and take a deep breath.

"Advanced healing."

I spin back to Anna. It was barely a whisper but she knew that I would hear her. And suddenly it all clicks into place. The conversations I've caught between Jean, Hank and Charles. The bullet wounds that should have killed Anna. The reason they chose her to experiment on. The familiar scent of her. But now there are more questions and I swallow hard as I realise how much I need to talk to her, how much she might know about me.

"Logan." Anna murmurs. "Please."

"Sir?" The suit urges.

I step back from the gurney and let out a heavy sigh. Anna watches me blankly as I back away from her and I shake my head slowly. "I'm sorry." I offer huskily.

The two agents, happy that I am complying, turn back towards the door and head into the corridor. My pulse steps up a gear as I force a trio of claws from one fist, feeling the flash of pain as the metal blades cut through my skin. Before the suits have realised that I'm no longer following them, I've crossed the room and sliced through the leather straps that bound Anna's waist and left wrist and ankle. I catch the smile of delight that crosses her face as she sits up and begins to tackle the buckle that secures her right hand.

"What the hell - "

I spin back, arm outstretched and passing my claws mere inches under the throats of the two agents. They both stagger back out of range and stare at me in horror. I watch them both reach for their guns and I smile as I see them recall in dismay that they had to leave them at the front entrance.

"Guard!" One of the suits cries out quickly.

I can hear Anna climbing down from the gurney as the prison guard peers round the door and gasps loudly. He quickly backs out and I hear the slam of his fist that breaks the glass in the emergency alarm point.

"You okay?" I turn to Anna and watch her steadying herself by the bed. We both then wince as the high-pitched warning siren starts up and I watch her nod slowly. "I'm sorry, Anna." I shout above the noise. "You'll be hunted forever."

Anna shrugs her shoulders and stands up straight. "Anything but this." She replies, glancing around at the room.

I nod in understanding and turn back to the agents, both of whom have raised their hands in a gesture of calm.

"Now. Just think about this for a moment." One of the suits offers loudly.

I smile and recall memorising the layout of the building, the probable placing of the guards, and the promises to Charles that I wouldn't even contemplate this. But, the way I figure it, if he didn't want this to happen then he shouldn't have sent me. And, come to think of it, the FBI should not have let someone from their most wanted list into their complex.

"We're leaving now." I say gruffly and step towards the agents. "And you're gonna let us go." A flick of my wrist and the other set of claws snicks forth.

For a moment they hesitate and I tense in anticipation of their next move. Then we all hear the opening of the end gate and the back up charging into the corridor, six or seven men from the sound of it. The agents relax and smile at me smugly.

I turn back and watch Anna approaching me. And there is that look. The same cold determination that I saw in her eyes the night we picked her up in L.A. And the same fury that she couldn't contain when we visited Tate. It's like looking into a mirror.

"Stay close to me." I order softly and we charge forward. The agents quickly move out of our path and I hurry into the corridor. The back up halts as they see me and I have an instant of advantage as they freeze at the sight of my claws. The aim of their weapons falters for a moment and I head into the opportunity. Not that I care about the damage they can't do. But I don't want disappoint my friends with a blood bath.

It's the strangest feeling as I slice through things. Strange because sometimes there is no sensation. Even through the tough metal of a gun barrel, the claws are so sharp that I could be cutting nothing but air. I spin round and tear through the guards. In an instant I have achieved my aim and I step back from them. There are no cries of pain, there is no scent of blood in the narrow corridor. I look around me, my heart thumping in my ears and see that all guns have been disabled. All except one.

Anna picks up the revolver from the floor and hurries over to me. She sees the apprehension that must be evident in my face and she frowns slightly.

"I'm getting you out of here." I reply to her unspoken question. "But no one gets hurt."

Anna opens her mouth to argue and I see the anger in her eyes but she then nods slowly. She looks down at the gun and clicks on the safety.

We turn our attention back to the guards that are now watching us in fear and confusion. I grab Anna's arm and begin towards the huddle of men. One of them steps forward suddenly, holding up his hand to order us to halt. I smile at him and shake my head slowly. Without a word, he steps back from us and nods nervously as he joins his colleagues and they watch us hurry by.

The whole complex is alive with noise now, what with the sirens and the cheering and screaming of the excited prisoners. But I concentrate hard as we charge along the bland corridor, focusing on the voices of the guards that can be heard shouting in the adjoining hallways as we race through the prison and I listen to their commands, altering our route to avoid their attempts to contain us.

The clatter of shorn off iron railings is loud as I carve through the gate and we clamber quickly through the hole. I shove Anna in front of me and push her at speed along the corridor. Our pursuers have charged around the far corner behind us and I brace myself for the impact of the shots that have been unleashed. The bullets slam into my back and I stumble for a few steps, biting my lip at the burning between my shoulders.

Anna glances back at me and I nudge her arm, urging her faster along the corridor. Suddenly the shooting stops and I hear the pace of our pursuers slowing and the whispered remarks into a radio handset. I see the shadow that passes by the small window in the door at the end of the hallway and I grab Anna's elbow, spinning her back against me and together we crash through the door beside us. We tumble into the large room, slamming against a fixed table and the stools either side that are bolted to the floor.

I clamber to my feet and help Anna up as I glance quickly around the empty visiting hall. "Up!" I order in a whisper.

"What?" Anna gasps and leans against the table breathlessly.

I look up at the metal grate above us and step closer to her. "Up." I say again and help her climb onto the table. I step up beside her and grab her round the waist to lift her up towards the ceiling. With one hand still holding the gun, she presses her fists into the grating that quickly gives and she slides the mesh into the ventilation duct. I lift her higher and she just manages to hook her elbows either side of the square hole and pulls herself up, placing her feet on my shoulders to move further into the narrow shaft.

The guards are charging down the corridor as I leap up and grasp the edge of the hole to pull myself after Anna. She grabs at my jacket and the belt around my waist to help heave me into the shaft. There's just enough width for me to twist round and slide the grating back over the hole and beneath us I see one of the guards entering the hall. I turn back and grab Anna's arm, placing a finger across my lips to warn her to be still, unsure if she can even see me in the dark tunnel. Her heavy breathing seems impossibly loud in the confines of the shaft and my heart is thumping in my head as I look down and watch our pursuers spill into the large room.

Our advantage is the persistent wailing of the alarm that still continues to throb through the complex. Hoping that the noise will be enough to cover the sound of us in the shaft, I release my grip on Anna's arm and whisper an order to move forwards.

It must be obvious where we have gone. Even if the guards cannot hear us moving above them, our escape route is easy to figure. And it's only a moment before the shooting starts. We both quicken our half crawl along the shaft, bullets tearing through the metal beneath us. I'm sure that the weakened floor of the shaft will give under our weight but somehow we shuffle along and suddenly the shooting stops. From the fading shouts somewhere behind us I can guess that we must have moved over the next room and I close my eyes as I try to recall the layout of the prison.

"Where now?" Anna husks quietly before me.

I peer past her and see the junction ahead of us. Moving further down the shaft, I can make out the square tunnels that sheer off in almost every direction. "Up." I reply in a whisper.

Anna nods and crawls into the junction, standing up in the new shaft and bracing her lower back and knees on opposite sides to somehow climb up the tunnel. I follow quickly after her, hearing her groan with the effort as she shimmies above me. The guards are now shooting at the ceiling of the next room and the thud of bullets trembles through the metal walls of the shaft. Anna has quickened her pace but suddenly gasps as she loses her grip and slides down the shaft. I plunge my claws into either side of the shaft and brace myself as her feet slam into my shoulders.

"Sorry!" Anna hisses and takes a moment to regain her composure. "Logan?"

"It's okay." I offer quietly, "You're doing fine. Keep going." I look up but can't see past her body to catch her face. I can sense her nodding and then slowly she lifts one leg at a time to brace herself inside the shaft and we again begin the ascent.

We pass two more junctions on the slow climb up through the shaft and then finally reach the top of the building. Scrambling out of the vent, we tumble onto the roof and lay there for a moment in the cold air.

"You okay?" I ask after a moment and sit up to look across at Anna. She rolls over onto her side and manages a thin smile. "Fine." I shrug, "Dumb question." I sigh loudly and edge closer to her, frowning as I see the blood on the sleeve of her grey prison pyjamas.

Anna pushes herself upright and takes a deep breath, wincing as she suddenly realises that a bullet grazed her arm. She lifts the material and sighs as she sees the damage beneath. "It's not quite as effective as your mutation." Anna mumbles and places her hand over the wound to try and stem the trickle of blood. "But then I'm more of a blend than a pure copy."

I watch her in silence, trying to find the right words. I've never been much good at this talking shit.

"Max is 100 alpha mutant. A perfect replica." Anna continues softly.

"Of me?" I ask.

Anna makes no reply and looks away from me, seeming suddenly uncomfortable with the topic. She gets to her feet and wanders across the icy rooftop. "Where to now?"

I stand and walk towards her. "There should be a fire escape down into the courtyard. Then a sprint across to the main gate."

Anna nods and begins towards the edge of the building, peering carefully over the side. "Or maybe not." She groans.

I frown and join her near the low wall. A task force is gathering in the courtyard, army vehicles spilling in through the main entrance to the complex. "Okay, so we try the back way." I shrug and step back from the edge.

"I'm scared, Logan." Anna husks quietly.

I look back and watch her turn towards me. "I know." I offer softly.

"No." Anna takes a deep breath and steps towards me. "No, I don't think you do." She counters, a hint of anger in her weary voice.

"So tell me."

Anna smiles thinly and shrugs her shoulders. "I wish I could but …" She sighs again, her breath billowing out in the icy air. "I don't understand any of this … and I don't know who I can trust anymore."

"Me." I offer quickly, "Us." I correct just as fast, "I mean, the professor and all of us – we can help you."

"Help me?" Anna laughs suddenly, "Help me what? Escape? Hide? Run forever?" She shakes her head and her smile fades. "Mystique was right. The only way is to fight back."

"Mystique betrayed you!" I argue harshly, clenching my fists at the very thought of her.

"Because I betrayed her." Anna nods, "She knew I didn't have the strength to go through with it all. She tested me and I failed. I thought she was Scott and I told her everything, showed her my weakness."

"She sold you out, Anna!" I counter angrily.

Anna shakes her head slowly, "She had no choice. I let her down. I let us all down."

"What?" I step closer to her, my heart racing as I see the sadness in her face. "Anna, please. Tell me what's going on."

"I can't."

"Anna, it's me. You do know that, right?"

Anna smiles thinly, "Yeah." She lets out a heavy sigh and falls to her knees on the rooftop. "I'm sorry."

I watch her in silence, remembering a time when I was this confused and how easy it would have been to give in to it all. I came so close to losing my mind on so many occasions and I know she has been to a similar place.

"It's the nightmares." Anna says suddenly, lifting her head to look up at me. "They got so much worse."

I nod slowly, sinking to my knees before her. "But they're not just nightmares." I offer softly, "They're memories."

Anna closes her eyes and tears trickle down her cheeks. "She was there." She mutters through her tight throat. "It was horrible but she helped me through it. She said she couldn't stop them, she had to know what they were creating and she had to let them finish."

A shudder runs through me as I see the pain that crosses Anna's face. I know what that's like. To remember the moment you surrendered. To know that somewhere amid the fighting and resisting, you gave in to what was being done to you. The time came when you realised there was nothing you could do to stop them and you simply submitted.

"I agreed to help her." Anna has opened her eyes and is searching my face for the answers she has been seeking for so long. "I wanted to punish every single one of them." A sob escapes her lips and she covers her mouth with her hand. "I said I would do anything to make them suffer as much as I had. Anything."

I watch her in silence, my mind swimming with everything that has happened since Jean brought Anna to the mansion. The doubts the professor had, the way he wanted her out of the school and away from the children. Oh god, no. The children.

"There was nothing I could do." Anna continues quietly, "By the time I remembered …" She trails off, hanging her head and letting the tears fall.

"Oh shit …" I groan.

"I don't want to be a part of this any more, Logan." Anna cries suddenly, her body trembling as the sobs take hold. "I don't want these memories. I don't want this life!"

I swallow hard as her hands move over her pyjamas, down onto her abdomen and she clutches at the roundness of her belly that remains from her pregnancy. Nausea builds in my throat as I consider for a moment all that has been done to her. Scott told me about the laboratory. He had needed to talk to someone about all that he had heard while he was forced to be there in the room and he knew Jean had already taken enough on board. But I had already guessed what he had seen. I could smell the place on Anna when I held her as she collapsed in the hanger. The cleaning fluid, the antiseptic, the latex gloves, the blood on her trousers and the sweat on her skin from the pain and the struggle.

"I don't want this." Anna says again and reaches behind her.

I gasp as I realise that she still has the gun. She had tucked it into the elastic waistband of her trousers for the climb up the shaft. I leap forward as she pulls it free, clicking off the safety as she raises the revolver to her head. As she presses the trigger, I grab the barrel and jerk it away from her, crying out in pain as the bullet tears through the flesh of my hand. Anna topples backwards as I slam into her with the momentum of my surge towards her and I fall onto her onto the rooftop.

"No!" I husk, my face close to hers as I lay over her. "You can't, Anna." I watch the confusion slowly clear from her eyes and she looks up at me in fear. "Think of Max. He needs you."

"But - "

"I won't let this happen." I continue softly, "You are stronger than this."

Anna nods slowly, relaxing beneath me as the hole in my palm seals up and I prize the gun from her fingers to toss it away from her. After a moment I clamber off of her and hold out my hand to help her stand. She gets to her feet and tightens her grip on my hand. Suddenly she has pulled me towards her and our lips meet. For a moment I allow the kiss, reaching up with my free hand to grab the back of her head and press her mouth harder against mine, searching her mouth with my tongue. But then I pull away fast and gasp as I realise what I'm doing.

"I'm sorry." Anna offers quickly, tearing her fingers from my grip and turning away from me.

My mind is racing and I step closer to her, reaching out to place my hand on her shoulder. I want to tell her it's okay, it's to be expected after the intense situation we have both been through. But suddenly I hear a noise behind us and I spin round, focusing on the source of the sound and watching as the door of the roof access stairs is flung open.

"Freeze!" The lead soldier shouts loudly, training his gun on us as he and his men spill out onto the roof.

_Tbc ..._  



	17. Chapter 17

_**LOGAN**_

"Logan?" Anna gasps worriedly.

I edge back towards her and reach behind me to place my hand on her arm. Our options rapidly play themselves out for me in my mind and I take a deep breath. "Stay close." I whisper, deciding on a plan and swallowing hard. And then a new image filters into my thoughts. A smile crosses my mouth as the soldiers continue their cautious advance and I look up at the low clouds that hang over us.

"What?" Anna asks quietly and then grips my hand in hers as she hears the gentle rumbling somewhere above the building.

"Sorry guys." I grin at the soldiers and shrug my shoulders as I feel the gentle pressure against my body and my feet are lifted from the rooftop. I turn and clutch Anna tightly to me, feeling her trembling in fear as we ascend quickly. The soldiers falter for a moment as we are lifted away from them but soon the shooting starts and I then hear them gasping in surprise as their guns are torn from their grasp.

We move up away from the building and into the misty air beneath the clouds. And there she is. Hovering above the cloud line almost noiselessly. I smile as I see the open hatch beneath the jet and watch Jean as she concentrates on controlling our approach. I almost want to wave in greeting and I know that she understands my sense of humour but I don't want to distract her. It's a long fall.

I reach out and grab the inside wall of the opening as we near the ramp. Anna has buried her face in my chest and I chuckle softly as she hugs me tightly. Our feet make contact with the ramp and I lean my head down slightly. "It's okay now. We're safe."

Anna slowly lifts her head and swallows hard as I lead her up the ramp. We step up into the jet and Jean reaches out to take Anna's hand.

"I …" Anna lets Jean lead her over to one of the seats and sits down heavily. "I don't believe that just happened."

Jean smiles and crouches down before her. She reaches up and places her hand on Anna's shoulder. "You okay?"

"I don't know." Anna answers honestly.

"Everyone secure?" Hank calls from the front of the plane.

I wave an affirmative and nod gratefully as I sit down beside Anna and let out a heavy sigh. "Thanks, Jean." I offer after a moment, feeling the gentle tug of the g-forces as the jet picks up speed.

Jean glances at me and her smile grows. "I knew you couldn't keep your word."

"Hey! I tried – I really did!" I defend with a chuckle. "No one was hurt, though – that's a first!"

Jean nods slowly and shrugs her shoulders. "I guess it's a start." She turns back to Anna and watches in concern as she closes her eyes and slumps back heavily against the seat. "I should have come with you."

"You had other things to worry about." I counter quickly and see the flash of pain in her face and the gentle sag of her shoulders that tells me not to pursue the subject.

Jean stands and moves to the seat next to Anna. "I'm so sorry about all this."

Anna opens her eyes and turns to look at Jean. "How much do you know?"

I watch Jean's face, as eager as Anna is to hear the answer. But I get the feeling that neither of us is ready to hear the truth about all this and my heart races as Jean glances at me anxiously.

"The professor touched something in your thoughts when you first arrived at the school." Jean begins carefully, "At first, we both thought that the incoherence was part of a breakdown caused by the stress and trauma of what you had been through. But the more we searched, the more apparent it was that your memories were not your own. There was something altering your thoughts, concealing your true mind."

Anna nods slowly, "That's why I was so messed up."

"The professor is strong enough to see through the barriers that had been created but he was afraid that in doing so he would cause permanent damage." Jean continues softly, "But what he did see frightened him."

Anna wipes away the tears that have escaped down her cheeks and then looks down at her hands. "But maybe if he had looked deeper …" She sniffs and looks back up at Jean. "None of this would have happened."

"And you might have lost your mind." Jean offers gently.

"Small price to pay!" Anna argues, biting her trembling lower lip to contain the sobs in her throat.

"We didn't know anything for certain." Jean sighs, reaching out to place her hand on Anna's arm. "We had to let this run it's course."

I watch Anna hang her head and begin to cry bitterly. I look over at Jean and frown as I see the regret on her face. "What now, Jean?"

Jean turns to me and holds me in her steady gaze. I feel the gentle pressure of her presence in my mind and my heart slams into my chest as I feel the intense anger in her thoughts.

_We let Mystique finish what she started_.

I gasp slightly and shake my head in disbelief. Jean turns away from me and her face is filled with sadness as she watches Anna cry.

_And we kill every last motherfucker who had anything to do with any of this_.

Adrenaline surges through me as I hear her words in my mind and I nod slowly, grasping the arms of my chair and feeling the strong metal give slightly under my grip.

XXXXX

The jet descends slowly through the snow-filled clouds and I peer out through the front window at the large house beyond the long garden. With expert precision, Hank settles the plane at the far end of the grounds and cuts the engines. We took a few passes over the area before landing to ensure that our arrival would not be welcomed by any more of our friends in the government and the quiet street seemed empty.

"Okay?" I look back to Jean and see her nod slowly.

"Maybe you should stay here." Jean suggests to Anna.

Anna shoots her a look that I recognise all too well and I hide my smile as the three of us descend from the jet. Jean explained on the way here that she and Beast were working in the laboratory and had set the comm. to listen to the police band, somehow knowing that they would hear something about an attempted jail bust. I offered my argument about not sending me if they hadn't wanted trouble and Jean simply smiled. She said she was glad for the distraction and there again was the sadness that filled her face for an instant. I couldn't bring myself to ask. I still can't now.

We approach the house cautiously, keeping close to Anna as she tries the back door into the kitchen. It's open and we glance at each other in apprehension as we step inside. Hank decided that he ought to remain in the jet and I hear Jean muttering an update into the comm. device she has hooked round her ear.

Anna is trembling as she walks across the kitchen and peers through the slightly open door into the lobby. My heart sinks as I see the last remnants of any colour drain from her face and she steps back from the doorway with a shake of her head. She moves close to Jean and closes her eyes as Jean places her arm around her shoulders.

I move past them towards the door and can smell what Anna must have seen. There's the subtle aroma that confirms Mystique's recent presence here and also the metallic smell of blood. I swallow back the bile in my throat as I step through the doorway and walk into the lobby. The man is lying facedown at the bottom of the stairs, his awkward position and the bloodstains on the stair carpet indicating his tumble. The back of his grey waistcoat is dark with congealed blood and there is an impossibly vast dark red puddle on the polished boards of the lobby floor. I edge closer, careful to avoid stepping in the blood, and frown as I lean closer to look at the damage to the man's body. My stomach turns as I make out the three dark gashes that run up his back.

_Logan?_

I turn back towards the kitchen and can see Jean watching me through the open door. She is holding Anna close to her, stroking her hair and soothing her tears as she cries into her chest. I shake my head slowly.

_Mystique?_

I nod an affirmative.

_I'm gonna take Anna back to the Blackbird. I'll tell Hank to come and help you look around_.

I nod again and watch her lead Anna away from the door. The house is empty but the air is filled with the smell of death. There'll be nothing to find but I should look anyway. There might come a time when Anna will want to know.

I move past the body in the lobby and walk through the open door of the lounge. The smell of old blood is even stronger in here and I try to breathe through my mouth but the sweet scent still burns my throat. The woman lying in the centre of the floor seems too young to be Anna's mother and closer inspection confirms that this is not the woman I was introduced to last week. Her throat has been cut and she has fallen through the glass of the long coffee table, her limbs splayed over the broken frame. Her unfocused eyes stare up at me and I swallow hard as I look away.

Making my way through the rest of the ground floor I can find nothing. No evidence of any struggles and no sign that anyone was searching the house. It would be easy to think that these people were murdered to silence them. But I know she was also sending a message. And I realise in dismay that the images from the prison security cameras and these killings will be put together in an instant. At least it won't only be Anna that will be hunted.

"Logan?"

I complete the circuit back to the kitchen and see Hank staring at the body in the lobby. His immense shoulders hang in dismay and he sighs loudly.

Hank turns to me and frowns in concern, "Mrs. Bryce-Walker?"

I shrug my shoulders. "I haven't checked upstairs yet." I step past him into the lobby and then turn back. "Hank. Is Scott …" I trail off with a shake of my head.

"Holding on." Hank answers softly, "His condition remains critical but he is still with us. Much the same as he was when you checked on him early this morning."

"I know." I give a thin smile of relief, "It's just something Jean said. Or, rather, didn't say."

Hank takes a deep breath and nods slightly. "Jean is preparing herself for the worst."

"Perhaps that's wise." I offer.

Hank glares at me suddenly and there is a flash of anger in his gentle brown eyes. "I'll save my goodbyes for when someone has actually gone."

I raise my hands in an apology and turn back towards the stairs. Edging carefully around the body, I cannot help but recall how I found Scott. I don't know why I decided to check on him at that particular moment – I had already called by their room that morning to wind him up and he had begged me to leave him to feel sorry for himself in peace. Jean was taking his classes until lunch and then was planning on driving him out into the countryside to get a change of scenery. I had snuck down into the garage and, lost for anything else to do, decided to polish his bike for him (which I will always deny doing). And something had told me to go back upstairs. Jean was upset that she had not felt anything from him to suggest there was a problem but I guess it was a combination of her focusing on the lesson and Scott's stubborn pride preventing him from calling her. The thought that it was so sudden that he didn't have a chance to get help is too scary.

I walk slowly up the curved staircase and clench my fists as I remember screaming for Jean and shaking Scott's limp body, begging him not to do this to us. He came round for a moment. His glasses flickered into life and he groaned. But then he was gone. And suddenly Jean burst into the room and started blowing air into his mouth and pumping her hands on his chest. I could only sit and watch as Hank then arrived with boxes of equipment and they were shooting drugs into him and shocking his heart back into rhythm. They were so calm. I stared on in awe as they worked on him. So very calm.

But later that afternoon Jean had lost her composure. She screamed and lashed out at me, her fists crunching into flesh and bone. And I let her. My only wish was that I was then the one left bleeding and hurting. I sat with her while she cried and I wrapped ice around her damaged knuckles.

"Logan?"

I'm torn from my thoughts as Hank steps up beside me at the top of the stairs and places his hand on my arm. I look over at him and then follow his gaze down to the floor. Before our feet a burgundy trail crosses the landing and we both sigh in dismay.

I move forward and follow the line of drops along to the corner bedroom. A smeared dark handprint on the door makes my skin crawl and I hold my breath as I peer into the room. And now I really want to throw up. I swallow it back and turn to Hank, seeing the horror on his face as he looks around the nursery. Here there is definite evidence of a struggle; the cot has been overturned, the chest of drawers tipped onto one corner against the wall and there are toys and clothes scattered around the room. And there is blood everywhere.

"Oh my goodness." Hank manages huskily.

I step further into the room and take a gentle sniff of the air. Her scent is everywhere but it's old, evidence only that she was once here. But this room is filled with something else and I find myself suddenly smiling.

"Logan?" Hank demands in horror.

"Some of this is her blood." I explain quietly.

Hank gasps, "Oh good god, no."

I turn to him and frown in confusion. Surely this is a good thing? Then it hits me. I stumble backwards into the wall and try to catch my breath.

Hank watches me for a moment and then nods sadly. "Anna was the original experiment. The prototype. They used your DNA samples to create her and others like her. Then decided they should be hosts for a new generation of the ultimate soldier." He sighs and looks round at the mess. "But then they came across an even more powerful source of DNA. And they re-thought their experiment. The new creations would be even more perfect. Advanced healing and the ability to be anyone, infiltrate every base."

"But … the tests Jean did …?" I manage.

"I know." Hank nods, "They fooled us all."

I look away from him and my eyes rest on one of the teddy bears lying on the floor. Blood is caked over one of his arms and I slam my hand over my mouth. I hurry from the room and lean against the landing wall, doubled over as I try and catch my breath. I've seen some terrible things in my life, many of which I was the cause of. I have memories of a war I don't remember fighting in and distant recollections of the day they gave me my claws. But this is too close. Too real.

"Logan?" Hank wanders slowly up to me and places an immense hand on my shoulder.

Normally I would shrug him away. I'm not the one that falters in these situations and I should be embarrassed at behaving like this. But I've spent too much time around Jean and Ororo. I stand up straight and take a deep breath. He needs to take samples. We have to know if the blood is hers or –

We both spin towards the sound and my heart is racing as I listen to the quiet house. I turn back to Hank and he nods firmly, there was definitely a noise. Slowly creeping back into the nursery, I am aware of every tiny detail in the sounds around me and I hear it again. A groan. I hurry across the room to the partition on the opposite side and slowly open the door. The door thuds softly against something and I lean round to look down at the floor.

More blood. And another body. But this one is moving. I shout to Hank and carefully push the door open further, the movement causing the woman behind it to moan softly. Slipping into the room, I sink down and blood soaks into my jeans as I kneel beside her. Her nightclothes are wet with dark red matter and I grimace as I gently roll her off of her side and onto her back.

"Logan?" Hank inquires softly, hurrying into the other side of the bedroom from the door on the landing.

I nod in reply and gently reach out to place my hand on the woman's neck. There is a rapid pulse beneath my fingers and I move my hand to stroke her pale cheek. "Morgan?"

"Let's get her onto the bed." Hank suggests as he leans over us and cannot assess the damage in the confined space between the door and the bed.

I carefully slip my arms beneath Morgan's shoulders and legs and lift her slowly. She makes no protest as I turn and lay her gently on the unmade bed. I step back and watch as Hank gently parts her robe and we both see the deep gash across her abdomen. The wound gapes with each of her shallow breaths and I know all too well what the pink and yellow matter is that is tumbling through the hole.

I look away as Hank peels back the silk robe and inspects her body for further injury. She is naked except for her underwear and I frown as I try to work out when this must have happened. Anna's mother was at the police station last night for questioning and Charles said she had been in contact with the FBI last evening. Mystique must have come back late last night to get Max. She wouldn't have tried anything while there were so many police searching the place and the officials would not have had any reason to remove him so she simply waited patiently for her opportunity. What I don't understand is why she would want to hurt him.

I turn to look around the room and then see the phone on the floor by the wall. The white handset is smeared with blood and I sigh as I see the staining shows the two numbers that have been pressed. I then see the severed wire that leads from the phone.

"Logan."

I turn back and see Hank gently pulling a bed sheet up over Morgan's body. "Is she - ?" My question is answered as Morgan groans weakly and I watch her eyes blink slowly.

"There is nothing we can do for her." Hank says quietly as he walks towards me. "The damage is too extensive."

I nod in understanding, knowing exactly what damage three sharp Adamantium knives can do. Even just a copy of them.

"But she may know some important information." Hank continues, "And we haven't much time."

I glance past him and suddenly wonder how Morgan has survived this long. She's been ripped apart. I turn back to Hank and nod slowly. "I'll go get Jean."

"And perhaps you should keep Anna in the jet."

My heart slams into my chest as I see Morgan suddenly moving behind Hank. She looks over at us both in horror and I watch her trying to speak. Her lips mouth Anna's name and her face is filled with terror. "No. I don't think that's our decision." I say to Hank and turn to leave the room.

I walk up the ramp into the jet and swallow hard as I hear Anna's gentle weeping. Her throat is dry from crying and I take a deep breath as I step inside and see her huddled on the floor with Jean.

Jean is stroking Anna's hair, her eyes closed as she gently rocks her. She looks exhausted and I can guess how much effort it is taking to give Anna some peace right now. A peace I know she wishes someone could give her. She doesn't look up as I near them but she knows I'm there. I feel her gentle touch in my mind and I watch as her face creases with emotion.

Suddenly Anna is aware of my presence and she lifts her head to turn towards me. "Max?"

"He's not here." I answer softly.

"Mom?"

"She …" I glance at Jean and see her nod slightly. "She's badly hurt, Anna." I watch Anna as she absorbs what I'm trying to tell her. "She wants to see you but - "

"Where is she?" Anna clambers to her feet quickly, wiping her face as she hurries towards me.

"Anna, I should warn you - "

"Where is she?" Anna demands a little louder.

I nod and wait for Jean to slowly get to her feet. I turn and begin back down the ramp.

"We should call the police." I offer quietly to Hank as we wait outside the bedroom.

Hank nods slowly, "Anonymous tip." He agrees.

"Morgan tried to call 911." I continue, "D'you think if …" I trail off as Hank shakes his head slowly and I step away from the wall to walk a short way down the corridor. I knew the answer already; I saw the damage. But I wanted to ask for Anna's sake. She's sure to wonder the same thing.

"We need to wipe down the house." Hank says after a moment. "Clean everything we had any contact with."

I turn back to him and nod in agreement. "This whole thing was set up to implicate us. Let's not help."

Hank smiles thinly and wanders along to the bathroom to grab a small towel. "I presume you can remember what you have touched."

"I guess." I shrug and follow him down the stairs.

Happy that we have erased any evidence of our presence, Hank and I make our slow way back up the stairs and I hold my breath as I see the bedroom door open slowly. Jean looks more drained than I think I have ever seen her. I quicken my pace and hurry across the landing to wrap my arms around her shoulders. She rests her head on my chest and leans into me gratefully.

"Mystique came back just after midnight." Jean whispers quietly into my shirt. "She posed as one of Morgan's neighbours, stopping by to check if everything was okay. Morgan had just got home and was about to have a bath when she heard the butler talking with someone at the door. She was too upset and exhausted to speak to anyone, even her friend from next door, but the butler welcomed Mystique in."

I can feel Jean shaking as she relays to us what she saw in Morgan's mind. She doesn't have to; we can piece together what happened here. But I sense that she needs to.

"When she heard the shouting she came out of her room and saw the butler running up the stairs. He was warning her to get out of the house. Then Mystique came flying out of the lounge and chased after him. Oh god!" Jean sobs suddenly, "She killed him! And then she went straight for the nursery!"

I close my eyes and pull Jean closer to me. She's so tired that her usual defences are down and she's blasting us with telepathic images. I hold onto her tightly as I see clearly in my mind Morgan's memory of last night. Mystique in her natural blue form stabbing at her before shoving her out of the way and bursting into Max's room. Morgan charging after her and somehow getting to the cot first to grab Max. The smile on Mystique's face as she regarded Morgan coolly and three silver claws grew out of her blue fist. But she hadn't counted on the gun that Morgan had grabbed from her bedroom as soon as she had heard the shouting start. I can't help but smile at the image of Mystique being spun by a bullet tearing into her shoulder. But then came the retaliation.

"God knows how she managed to struggle with her." Jean cries softly into my chest.

"Adrenaline, I guess." I offer softly.

Jean lifts her head and looks up into my face. "She took the baby."

"We'll find him." I nod.

Jean suddenly smiles through her tears and steps back from me. "Yeah."

"We will." I urge.

"Yeah." Jean sighs, wiping her face and turning away from me.

"How is Mrs. Bryce-Walker?" Hank asks suddenly.

Jean takes a deep breath and looks back towards the bedroom door. She frowns as she focuses for a moment and then her face relaxes into another brave smile. "It won't be long."

I step towards her and reach out to touch her arm. "Jean." I hold my breath as she spins back to me and I don't need telepathy to read that expression. She glances back at the bedroom door and I know that she's thinking of Scott.

"I need to talk to Charles. I'll be in the jet." Jean says huskily and moves past me to gallop down the stairs.

I move to follow her and Hank steps in front of me. I nod in agreement as he shrugs the suggestion to let her have some space. Then the door opens behind us and I turn slowly.

Anna steps out into the hall and smiles thinly up at us through her tears. "I just need to grab a few things and then can we go?"

"Yeah …" I manage and frown in concern, "Sure. If that's what you want."

Anna nods and wanders towards the nursery. I want to pull her back. I want to stop her seeing. I want to protect her from what's in that room. I want to tear Mystique apart with my bare hands.

"Oh my god." Anna mutters as she stands in front of the scattered contents of the room.

I look on helplessly as Anna falls to her knees in the doorway and her shoulders begin to shake as she cries. She reaches out and grabs the corner of the blanket that lies in front of the overturned cot. The cream wool is speckled with dried blood and she sobs as she clutches it to her chest.

I step forward and swallow hard as I crouch down beside Anna. Placing my arm around her shoulders, I take a deep breath and look around the wrecked nursery. "She won't have hurt Max." I offer softly, "He's too valuable." I know there's no guarantee of this and I feel nauseous as I contemplate the possibility that some of the red staining is Max's blood.

"No. She won't hurt him." Anna agrees in a whisper.

I turn to look at her and frown as I see the expression on her face. Her crying has ceased and there is a calmness amid the tearstains that makes my skin crawl.

"You know what he is." Anna continues softly, slowly turning to face me.

I watch her for a moment, my heart racing as I see the lack of emotion in her dark eyes and I nod in reply.

"I fought them." Anna husks, holding me in her steady gaze. "The memories. The nightmares. The truth." She turns back to the nursery and takes a deep breath, clutching the blanket closer to her. "It started to creep back … what they tried to hide."

"What was it, Anna?" I ask after a moment.

"Me."

I frown in confusion and watch as a smile suddenly begins to dance on her lips. "Anna …" I begin softly, "You're scaring me."

Anna spins back to me and her smile grows as she releases her grip on the blanket and reaches up to place her hand on my cheek. "Don't be afraid." She offers and sighs slightly. "I'm not."

"But - "

Anna shakes her head and slides a finger over my lips. "For the first time in my life … everything is so clear." She says gently, "I know what I am now, Logan … and I know what I have to do."

_Tbc ..._


	18. Chapter 18

_**JEAN**_

This was a bad idea. I knew as soon as I called him on the comm. that this was not clever. His gentle voice now fills the jet as he enquires after us and I can't reply. I try to swallow back the lump in my throat and tears pour down my cheeks.

"Jean?" The professor asks after a moment.

I close my eyes, glad that I disabled visual before I contacted him. I lost my control as soon as he replied and I don't want him to see me sat here blubbering like a child. Putting on a brave front is easy but somehow his voice, his presence just makes me crumble.

"It will be alright, Jean." Charles offers softly.

I nod in agreement, suddenly smiling as I realise that the action is of no use.

"We knew what we were doing when we decided not to prevent this." The professor continues, "We both knew the risks."

"The children didn't." I've suddenly found my voice but it is tight with emotion.

"Jean … don't do this ..." Charles sighs.

I take a deep breath and clear my throat. "I'm sorry. I'm just - "

"Tired." Charles offers.

I give a pointless nod again but know that my silence is enough of an answer for him.

"You should head back soon. We can coordinate a search from here."

"Yeah." I wipe my face with my hands and stand slowly from my chair. I peer out through the wide front screen and frown as I look at the house beyond.

"Did you manage to read any more from her?" Charles asks after a moment.

I sigh loudly and drag a hand through my hair. "A little. She's tired and emotional and her guard was down enough for me to see some of what we already suspected. And she told Logan some of what she has remembered."

"The hold must be lifting." The professor agrees.

"Well, it's been a while since she was treated. I guess the effects must be wearing off." I surmise, remembering the professor's teaching and the clear guidelines he gave me. The technique that has been used on Anna is one that Charles is more than capable of applying but he never will. And I don't know what scares me more. The idea that Anna's memories have been completely rewritten and she could be just about anyone or the knowledge that a telepath did this to her. A very powerful telepath.

"We should be careful, though." The professor sighs wearily over the comm. "We don't know what will happen when the fog lifts completely."

"Or what was hiding underneath." I mumble in agreement and frown as I look back out at the house.

"Jean?" The professor asks worriedly. I know he can't read me from here but he must have heard something in my voice. "Jean, what is it?"

"I don't know." I mutter, my frown growing as I sense something from beyond the garden. "Oh no!" I cry as suddenly the faint images in my mind blast into focus.

"Jean?!" Charles shouts urgently over the comm.

I ignore his calls and rush from the jet, my mind racing with the scattered images that become clearer as I race up to the house. Charging in through the kitchen, I can feel adrenaline surging through me. But at this close proximity I don't know if the reaction is hers or mine.

"Anna!" I call urgently as I run through to the lobby. I can hear the struggle as I reach the bottom of the stairs and I gasp as he's thrown over the landing banister. It takes all my concentration to catch him before he hits the floor of the lobby and it distracts me from reading the thoughts in her mind.

Hank lands gently on his side and lays there stunned. I frown in confusion as I look down at his still form and cannot fathom how she overcame him. I turn to look up towards the top of the stairs and gasp as I see her now fighting with Logan. They are emerging from one of the bedrooms, entwined in each other as they struggle. My heart races as I tune in to her mind once again and what I find there terrifies me. Gone is the chaos that had become so familiar in her thoughts and there is only clarity. A sure sense of what she has to do.

I reach the centre of the curved staircase and watch in concern. Logan is holding back. He doesn't want to hurt her. But she is determined. And very skilled.

"Jean!" Logan calls out breathlessly as he dives to avoid her swing at him and then leaps back out of range of her kick. "A little help here?!"

I reach out my hand towards Anna and sense the connection as I take hold. Anna falters for a moment and then seems to suddenly realise that I'm there. She turns and glares at me and I gasp as I see the fury in her eyes. Anna looks away from me in disinterest and turns her attention back to Logan. I frown in concentration, trying to feed just enough power to lift her away from Logan. Suddenly I have control of her and I ascend the remaining stairs to stand at the edge of the landing.

"Thanks." Logan sighs in relief and relaxes back from Anna.

Anna has turned back to face me and my heart races as there again is pure hatred. She's frozen under my hold, paused mid-swing at Logan. I meet her glare calmly and step closer to her until my outstretched hand is almost touching her shoulder. At this close distance I can hear her heavy breaths and it feels as though her eyes are burning into my own.

"Anna?" I relax my hold on her body and feel her instant reaction. With a groan I tighten my grip and my frown grows as I realise just how much power it is taking to keep her still. Then suddenly I touch something in her thoughts. I had not realised that the connection was still open between us but my abilities are so closely linked that a blend of power often occurs. My heart slams against my chest as I delve a little deeper and the truth opens up before me.

I close my eyes as I move through Anna's mind. There are images of people that I don't recognise but who Anna knows all too well. Father. Brother. And pieces of conversations that alone make no sense but together create a picture that I did not want to see.

"Jean?"

I open my eyes and see Logan moving past Anna. He is watching me in concern and shrugs his shoulders in confusion as he approaches me.

"She lied to us." I say softly, my voice tight in my throat.

"What do you mean?" Logan urges, glancing back at the paralysed form of Anna.

I look past Logan and focus again on Anna. The barrier that had been placed over her thoughts is slowly crumbling and I can feel tears welling in my eyes as I suddenly have free access to everything. The day she discovered who she was and the long hours spent crying and shouting at her father. All of her childhood had been a lie. She was hurt and confused. And then one day her father's friend came to see her and offered her a solution. He could take away all the pain and would show her why she had been created. The offer of being given a purpose and the idea of being released from her current anguish was too good for the young 17 year old to pass up on.

"Jean?"

I pull back from Anna's mind for a moment and am now aware of Hank standing behind me on the stairs. "I can see it all." I mutter softly.

"What?" Logan asks carefully and watches Anna for a moment before turning back to me.

There is fear in his eyes. Something I thought I would never see. And now I can't tell him what I've seen. It was obvious that he would be drawn to Anna, she was created from him. He tortures himself enough already with the idea that he was created to be a killing machine and his nightmares remind him how effective he was before he sought out the means to fight against it. I can't now tell him that it didn't stop with him. That many have been created to continue the violence that he has gradually put aside.

"What is it?" Hank urges from behind me.

"She chose this." I offer quietly and swallow back the bile in my throat as I watch Anna smile. The images flash through my mind and I shudder as I see the agreement. The day Anna gave up her life. I relay as much to Hank and Logan and hear them both gasp in horror.

"My god …" Logan turns to face Anna and steps towards her cautiously. "What are you?"

Anna's smile falters for an instant and I hold my breath, hoping to sense regret or sorrow but there is nothing but determination.

"I am many things." Anna says suddenly, her voice firm and unwavering. "But right now?" She looks past Logan and her smile grows as she focuses on me. "I'm a decoy."

"What?" Logan and Hank both gasp together.

Nausea rises in my throat as I suddenly realise what she means. "No!" I cry huskily. Anna continues to smile coolly and I stagger backwards towards the top of the stairs, grateful for Hank's strong arms as he hurries forward to steady me.

"What do you mean?" Logan urges softly as he steps closer to Anna. He glances back at me and frowns worriedly. "Jean?"

I watch the calm amusement on Anna's face and then step forward out of Hank's embrace. "No!" I shout angrily and focus my wavering hold back on Anna. I grit my teeth as I change the flow of telepathy and instead of pulling memories from her thoughts I am forcing power into her. Closing my eyes, I hold out both of my hands towards her and grip her mind.

"Jean?" Hank asks worriedly, stepping up behind me and placing his hands on my shoulders.

"No, Jean." Logan warns softly.

My eyes are still closed but I can sense both men moving close to me and Logan's hands are on my arms. He must think that by lowering my hands he can break the connection but my hold is too strong. I can feel Anna's mind caving under my power and I am aware of my lips forming a smile of satisfaction.

"Jean!"

Logan now has his hands on my face and is turning my head away from Anna. I suddenly sense the pain in his voice and I open my eyes. I gasp as I see the horror in his face and I fall back against Hank wearily as I release my hold on Anna.

"My god …" I husk dryly. "My god, Logan. What have I done?"

Logan is watching me in wonder and sighs as he moves closer to me and leans his forehead against mine. I step away from Hank and reach up to place my hands on Logan's arms.

"What have I done?" I ask again, a sob catching in my throat.

Logan moves back from me and his hands fall away from me as he turns to look at Anna. I close my eyes and tears fall down my flushed cheeks. I don't want to know. I'm aware of Hank moving away from me and hurrying over to Anna and I hear Logan groan softly in dismay.

After a moment I open my eyes and hold my breath as I turn slowly. Anna is lying on the landing floor and I watch in sorrow as her body convulses. Hank is gently rolling her onto her side and carefully supporting her head as she shudders violently. I sink to my knees on the landing floor and fresh tears fall as I see the blood that trickles from Anna's nose and ears. God knows what damage I have done.

"I didn't mean to hurt her." I whisper.

Logan has hurried over to kneel a safe distance from Anna's seizing body and he and Hank are both now looking at me in disbelief and dismay.

"I just wanted to put it back the way it was. For her to be what she was before."

Hank's lips form a thin smile and he seems to nod in understanding before looking back down at Anna. I follow his gaze and see that Anna is slowly beginning to calm. Her body is gradually relaxing and only the occasional twitch indicates the damage that I have done.

"We need to get out of here." Hank offers softly after a moment and looks up at Logan. "Perhaps we ought to leave her here."

"No!" Logan gasps and turns back to me. "We can't! She needs us!"

I hold his gaze for a moment and then look back down at Anna's now unmoving form. I gently touch her mind and swallow back the bile in my throat as I sense nothing from her. "I'm sorry." I manage.

"No!" Logan husks angrily and moves closer to Anna to gather her into his arms.

Hank reaches out and places his hand on Logan's arm. "Logan, we can't risk - "

"Risk what?" Logan demands angrily and looks down at the limp body in his arms. "I don't think she's any danger to us anymore." He lifts his head and glares at me as he gets to his feet and clutches Anna close to him. "But maybe the professor can undo what you have done."

"I don't think he can." I reply and look down at my hands as Logan moves past me to start down the stairs. "And if he does …" I turn to watch Logan descending to the lobby. "Then she might - "

"No!" Logan halts at the bottom of the staircase and glances back up at me in despair.

"She was created to be a killer, Logan." I offer gently.

Logan nods slowly and looks back down at Anna's unconscious form. "So was I." He mutters and continues on through the lobby and into the kitchen.

XXXXX

We flew back to the mansion in silence. I sat huddled in one of the chairs and tried to ignore the nausea that was building inside me. Hank and I had decided we ought to reposition Anna's mother where she had been found on the bedroom floor, to cover up any evidence of our presence in the house. It was a gruesome task but that is not what is making me feel sick. I can still feel what it was like to take hold of Anna's mind and squeeze it as though it was putty in my fingers. After the loss of four of our children and watching my lover slip away from me, it felt right to finally have something to take out all the pain and sorrow on. And that is what horrifies me now. How good it felt to hurt her.

The jet sinks through the gaping hole that was the basketball court and I feel the gentle thud of the landing gear resting on the floor of the hanger. The underbelly parts and the ramp lowers beside me but I can't move. If I try to stand I know I'll throw up. I keep my eyes closed and am aware of Hank and Logan exiting the jet past me. They leave in silence, perhaps thinking that I want to be left alone or perhaps too disappointed in me to say anything.

I sit here and listen to the emptiness around me, disturbed by nothing but the slight creaking of cooling metal. But in the relative silence of the hanger my thoughts are loud and listening to them is making me feel worse. I get up carefully from the seat and try to ignore the churning in my stomach as I make my way down the ramp. Walking slowly through the hanger, I step into the ready room and then through to the corridor beyond.

The wave of anguish hits me so hard that I stagger backwards a few steps. My heart is racing as I absorb the powerful barrage of thoughts that tears at my mind and I clutch at my head as the images form.

Decoy. I regain my control and begin to calm as I lift my head and allow the thoughts to wash through me as I remember Anna's words. And suddenly I know what has happened. I can sense Hank and Logan's pain as they discover the destruction in the infirmary and I can feel anger welling up inside me. Taking a deep breath, I continue along the corridor and see Logan burst from the infirmary and he races along to the elevator.

Hank has left Anna slumped against the open infirmary door and I step carefully over her legs to enter the wrecked room. Blood is splattered across the far wall and there is a smudged pool of dark liquid on the silver floor. My eyes then move to the empty examination bed and the surrounding monitors and diagnostic equipment that have been destroyed. I step forward slowly, tears blinding my vision as I near the bed and reach out to touch the disturbed sheets where Scott was laying.

There is no way that he could have got out of the bed himself and any possible reason that anyone would have for kidnapping a dying man is too horrible to think about. And yet I do. He's gone. There's no trace of his presence in the lower levels or the house above. They must have taken him when they took the children. Or he's dead and lying in some place yet undiscovered.

"Jean!"

I am so lost in the agony of my own thoughts that Hank's voice startles me and I gasp as I turn towards the sound. "Oh god …" I groan as I see him crouching low over a body on the floor of the adjoining laboratory and my heart slams into my chest as I recognise the blood soaked clothes of the woman

"Help me!" Hank calls out urgently as he tears open the woman's stained blouse and begins to press one immense blue hand down on her chest in a steady rhythm.

I walk slowly across the infirmary and into the laboratory, broken glass and more shattered equipment crunching under my feet. As I near them I can see the bullet wound under Ororo's right breast and the blood that has stopped oozing from the hole is so dark it's almost black. I kneel down opposite Hank and watch through fresh tears as he leans down and covers her mouth with his own, forcing breath into her lungs.

Reaching out timidly, I take Ororo's cold hand and press my fingers against her wrist. "Hank," I begin softly, my voice tight in my throat. A sob escapes my lips as my eyes move to Ororo's peaceful face and I can sense nothing from her.

"No!" Hank looks up at me suddenly, anger and sorrow in his gentle eyes. He looks back down at Ororo and suddenly grabs her shoulders, shaking her roughly. "No! Come on, Ro!"

"Hank," I lean over Ororo's body and place my hand on Hank's arm, trying to ignore how he is shaking her like a rag doll. "Hank. She's gone."

Hank stops suddenly and turns to me in horror. He knew when he found her that it was too late. He recognised the fatal wound as quickly as I now have. But I have spoken it aloud.

Hank shakes his head in disbelief and tears are rolling down amid the blue fur that covers his cheeks. "No!" Suddenly he is on his feet and with a cry of rage begins to pummel his fists into the wall beside him.

I stay low on the floor of the room as the metal-coated wall gives and plaster is scattered around me. Eventually Hank slumps down to his knees beneath the immense hole he has created and he lets his head fall into his bleeding hands. I make my way cautiously across to him and crouch down beside him. "There was nothing we could have done." 

Hank nods and wipes his face. Taking a deep breath, he clambers to his feet and walks out of the room. I can sense that he can't deal with this right now and so is deciding not to.

I glance over at Ororo's body and fresh tears blind my vision. For a moment the weight pressing down on my chest seems to be preventing me from breathing and I can feel panic welling up inside me. I can't believe this has happened. Then I suddenly gasp as I remember again Anna's words before I tore her mind apart. I clamber to my feet and hurry into the infirmary after Hank.

Hank is standing in the centre of the infirmary in silence, his head hung low and his broad shoulders shaking as he tries to hold back the sobs.

"She said she was a decoy." I say quietly as I make my way over to him. My voice is tight in my throat and sounds unfamiliar as it echoes around the room.

Hank lifts his head and looks down at me as I walk round to face him. He nods slowly and looks past me to where Anna still lies.

I follow his gaze and clench my fists at my side. "They lured us out of the way."

"Logan has gone to check on the house." Hank manages softly. "It seemed untouched as we approached. And the professor was - " he stops suddenly and frowns down at me. "But that wasn't Charles on the comm."

I shake my head slowly, "It can't have been." I look around the room and then back through to where Ororo lies. "This happened a while ago. Probably the moment we left."

Hank groans and closes his eyes. His lips are trembling and his breathing fast as he tries to take in all that has happened.

"We can't trust anything." I offer softly, "We have no idea what their next move will be."

"They've been one step ahead of us all along." Hank husks.

I watch him for a moment and can understand how he feels. I know all too well how easy it would be to just crumble and try to hide from the nightmare that we are trapped inside. But I need him now. I need him focused. And I tell him as much.

Hank opens his eyes and takes a deep, shaky breath. "Okay." He sighs. "Okay. What do you need me to do?"

I smile thinly in relief and place my hand on his arm. "I have a pretty good idea who did this but we need proof."

Hank nods slowly and takes a deep breath. "I can look around here for clues," he glances around the infirmary and shrugs slightly, "And check the security cameras."

I nod in agreement and then wince as suddenly I am pummelled with a sudden rage. I look up at the ceiling and try to read more from the house above us. "Oh no …"

The elevator door slides open and my heart is pounding in my ears as I cautiously peer into the corridor. Pale winter sunlight is pouring through the open doors either side of the hallway and there is an eerie silence in the house. I step timidly from the elevator and edge along the corridor. The rooms that I pass have been messed up from either someone searching for something or perhaps from the struggles that might have taken place. Either prospect makes my skin crawl and I hold my breath as I realise just how quiet the house is.

I reach out and try to find some remnants of any thought. I gasp as I suddenly touch his mind again and the immense pain that fills his head. Breaking into a run, I hurry into the lounge and groan as I see him sitting on the floor with his back to the door. "Logan?" I call out worriedly and as I step further into the room and move round him I then see the body he is holding. I groan in dismay and fall to my knees beside him.

Logan opens his eyes weakly and tries to focus on me through his tears. He gathers the body in his arms closer to him and shakes his head slowly, his face filled with pain.

I swallow hard as my eyes move from his face to the form in his embrace. Lifting her head carefully, I see how pale Marie's face is and I move closer to inspect the damage to her body. Her shirt is dark with blood and I gently move Logan's arm to lift the wet material. Logan mumbles a protest as I loosen his grip on her limp form and I place my hand on his arm in reassurance. Beneath the soaked cotton, I can see the hole in her chest and I groan in dismay. It is as precise as Ororo's fatal wound and the clean shot speaks volumes about the training of those that attacked the mansion.

"Oh god, Logan … I'm so sorry." I whisper softly and I then frown as the wound slowly begins to close. With a gasp, I suddenly look down and see that Logan is holding Marie's un-gloved hand in his and I look up to see the strain on his face. The colour is draining from his cheeks and he is now gasping for breath.

"Logan!" I cry in warning.

Logan smiles thinly and groans as he begins to weaken and fall backwards onto the floor. I grab Marie's shoulders and pull her into my arms as Logan collapses. I lower her gently onto the rug beside Logan and move round to lean over him "It's okay," I say softly, "You can let go now."

"No!" Logan moans and rolls towards Marie, placing his free hand on her forehead.

"It's okay, you've given her enough." I soothe and gently pull his hand back from her. Looking over at Marie, I can sense her starting to regain consciousness and watch her breathing steadily. "Let go, Logan." I urge gently and begin to prize his fingers from hers while also trying to avoid too much contact with her skin.

"No!" Logan husks and tightens his grip.

"Logan!" I lean over him and turn his face to look up at me. "It's okay. You've saved her. Now let go."

Logan nods slowly and rolls away from Marie, releasing his grip on her and sighing as the connection is broken. He groans and bites his lip against the pain of old wounds reopening. "Jean." He manages through clenched teeth. "The professor."

I watch as Logan lifts his head and nods towards the lounge door. I turn and can just make out the open door to the professor's study. Looking back down at Logan, I want to read from him what I'm going to find but I can tell from the expression in his wet eyes. I check on Marie and see that the bullet wound has almost completely sealed and she is slowly coming round. Logan is pulling himself up to sit beside her as I stand and begin towards the hallway.

Pushing back the half opened door to the study, my body is trembling as I step inside and see him sprawled across the floor in front of his desk. I hurry across to him and kneel beside him, my heart in my throat as I begin to examine his still form. Rolling him over onto his back, I frown as I find no trace of injury and I then realise that he is breathing steadily.

"Charles?" I shake his shoulders gently and wait for a response. There is nothing and I swallow hard as I place my hands either side of his head and sense the numbness in his mind.

"Is he dead?"

I turn to look behind me and watch Marie stumbling towards the study. She sits down heavily on the sofa inside the door and stares at the professor's expressionless face. I shake my head slowly. "No. He's alive."

Marie slowly lifts her gaze to meet my face and manages a thin smile. Her face is still pale and her eyes shadowed with fatigue and shock. I watch her for a moment and am suddenly struck by how old she looks.

"They wanted the cure." Marie offers quietly.

I nod slowly, having already guessed as much.

"I answered the door to them." Marie continues under her breath and closes her eyes at the memory. "They seemed nice. And the professor recognised them so I thought - " She pauses for a moment and her face is filled with pain. Slowly she regains her composure and looks back up at me. With a slight groan she slides off of the sofa and makes her way across to kneel beside me. Her gloved hand is trembling as she reaches out and touches the professor's calm face. "I heard shouting." Marie continues shakily, "They were hurting him, threatening him. He warned me to get the others to safety but - " Suddenly she gasps and both hands go to the centre of her chest where the bullet tore through her.

"Hey …" I move closer to her and wrap my arms around her. "It's okay. You're safe now." I offer gently as she leans into me heavily and sobs gently against my shoulder. "It's okay. It's going to be okay."

"Oh god, Miss Grey!" Marie cries weakly, "They took the children!"

I nod slightly and stroke my hand through her hair. "I know." I close my eyes and feel my own tears again beginning to fall as I am again aware of how empty the house is. I can sense nothing but the five of us. Hank busy searching the lower levels, Charles lying stunned beside me, Marie clutching at me tightly and Logan stumbling slowly across the hall.

"Jean?" Logan husks wearily.

I turn to watch him approach and I smile thinly, quite what I'm trying to convey I don't know but Logan returns the gesture and leans heavily against the doorframe.

"What happened to him?" Logan asks.

I hug Marie closer to me and take a deep breath. "They have a telepath."

"I didn't think there was anyone stronger than him." Logan frowns.

"There isn't." I mutter softly and a smile pulls at my mouth as I hear him beginning to come round. The fog in his mind is slowly lifting and I watch in relief as his eyes blink open.

Marie leans back from me and gasps as she watches him stir. She moves closer to him cautiously, "Sir?"

The professor groans and for a moment his face is full of pain but he then seems to be aware of us and he slowly relaxes. He turns to look up at us both and smiles in greeting. Then he suddenly remembers what has happened and he closes his eyes at the memory.

"Charles?" I urge carefully.

"The children." The professor whispers dryly.

"I know." I offer softly, "We'll find them." I can feel the gentle tug of his mind touching mine and I hold my breath as he gets a sudden Technicolor replay of the last few hours from my thoughts. I swallow hard as the professor turns his head away from us and tears escape his tight lids as he covers his face with his hands.

After a moment I clear my throat and turn back to Logan and Marie. "I need to speak with Charles alone." I smile as I watch them both quickly nodding in understanding and Marie gets to her feet to hurry from the room. Logan hesitates for a moment and glances back at me as he leaves the room.

_As soon as your strength is back. _I send to him. _We'll both be getting our hands bloody._

Logan smiles thinly and nods a reply before following Marie out into the hall.

I turn back to the professor and see that he has rolled the un-paralysed top of his body away from me. His disability has never been this apparent and it hurts to see him seemingly helpless on the floor. I stand and wander round him to heave his wheelchair off of its side. Taking a deep breath, I concentrate on his body and carefully lift him from the carpet and sit him in his chair.

_Thank you_.

I kneel down in front of the professor and place my hands on his knees. _Who was it, Charles?_

The professor slowly removes his hands from his face and steadies his breathing as he looks down at me. He watches me for a long moment and then places his hands over mine. _My god, Jean … I have been so naïve._

I frown up at him in concern and sit back on my heels.

_I thought I was so much better than them. _He smiles thinly, _I thought I was in control of this._

_What do you mean?_

He takes a deep breath and looks down at our entwined hands. _I am so very sorry, Jean._

_Sorry? What for?_

_You must believe that I have only done what was necessary to protect us._

My frown grows and I shake my head slowly. _I don't understand._

_I'm so sorry._

_Charles? What is it?_

_The experiments. _Charles sighs, _I have known about them for some time._

_I know. You told us this._

He smiles thinly, _I have known about them since the beginning … since I helped set them up._

"What?!" The sudden sound of my voice in the quiet room makes us both jump and I pull my hands from his grasp as I stare up at him in horror.

"Try to understand, Jean. This was always an inevitability. Surely you can see that I had to be a part of it. I had to know who was involved and what they were doing."

"No!" I stand slowly and back away from him. "If you knew about it then all you had to do was _stop_ them! Oh god, Charles, no!" I drag my hand through my hair and edge further from him.

And suddenly it hits me. I cover my mouth with my hand and stare at him in disbelief. "No wonder she freaked when she first saw you!" I mutter against my palm and my heart races as I watch Charles nod in confirmation. "It was you." I whisper huskily, hardly able to believe what I know deep inside is the awful truth. "You are the telepath they used to - " Suddenly I turn and break into a run. I can't face this anymore. I can't deal with any of it.

"Jean!" The professor calls after me urgently.

I see Logan and Marie emerge from where they had been sat together in the lounge and I run towards them, sobs escaping my tight throat as Logan steps into my path and catches me in his arms.

"Jean, what the fuck - " Logan demands hurriedly.

I shake my head, unable to form into words the pain that fills my entire being. And I can't bring myself to tell him. We have been betrayed.

"Jean?" Logan urges.

I watch him for a moment and realise now why Charles has been so reluctant to help Logan remember his past and why he warned me off, telling me that reading Logan's mind was dangerous. If he's been involved from the start then there may have been a time when he was present when Logan was experimented on. The possibility that he has lied to us all for so long is nauseating and my head starts to spin.

I freeze as I hear the whirr of his chair behind me and I turn slowly. His apparent concern may be enough to fool Marie and Logan but I can see through his worried frown. I can see it all. I watch him flinch slightly as I dig into his thoughts and tear out all that he has been keeping from us. The information he shared with the government in return for their protection. The children we have taken in that were created in a test tube and the studies he participated in while he taught them. The hundreds of people that have been involved in the projects but have no recollection because he wiped it from their minds.

"Jean … please. Try to understand." The professor urges through clenched teeth.

I step away from Logan and stride towards the professor. He is too weakened to block me and I feel my heart skip a beat as I realise that I caused his collapse. I swallow back the bile in my throat as I realise why he was laying stunned on the floor. He has been linked to her all along but when the agents arrived at the mansion and started interrogating him he must have lost his grip. My attack on Anna was unexpected and had travelled through the link to him.

"Jean." The professor manages, "You are not seeing the whole picture. I wanted Anna to remember. I had no idea she would turn on you."

"You're lying." I growl and then I gasp as suddenly I am hit with the image of the children dying.

"They died because of me. I resisted. And they killed them."

"You knew about the virus before we found it?" I demand angrily.

The professor nods and hangs his head with a groan. "It was a failsafe – in case their creations went astray. They assured me that we were safe. They gave me an antidote in case the school was ever infected. But it was a lie. The vial was filled with water."

I waiver for a moment, the regret and sorrow in the professor's thoughts tugging at me.

"Jean." Logan suddenly says gently beside me. "What the fuck is going on?"

I turn to him and tears pour down my cheeks as I shake my head slowly. "I don't know." Suddenly my mind is filled with an image of Scott lying in the infirmary and I clutch at my head.

"They know what he means to me, Jean." The professor says softly, "They will kill him."

I slowly lift my head and turn to look down at the professor. "Why?"

"Because I told them today that I would no longer help them."

"What?" I gasp.

The professor shakes his head slowly, "I had to be careful. These are powerful people, Jean. We have all seen what they are capable of." He glances at Logan and takes a deep breath, "I was afraid of what would happen if they ever found out that I was working against them and my fears were realised when they murdered the children. They crossed the line, Jean, and I will not stop until they pay for what they have done."

"Mystique?" I frown slightly.

The professor nods and smiled thinly. "She will always deny that she helped me but she was invaluable. I gave her the human-specific virus for her to plant among them."

"You what?" Logan demands suddenly.

I turn and see the anger on his face. He has worked out some of what has been happening and I send him a little of my own thoughts to confirm his deduction. His eyes meet mine and I hold my breath as I see the pain and fury that lies there. For one horrible moment I realise that if he now launched an angry attack on the professor then I would not stop him.

"Please, Jean." Charles continues gently, "Let me explain."

"With more lies?" I counter coolly.

"Jean … you don't understand …"

"Oh, I think I do." I husk, feeling renewed anger bubbling up inside me as I regard him in dismay.

"I don't." Logan mutters behind me.

"Please," The professor urges again. "Try and be reasonable."

"Reasonable?" I shout suddenly.

"Jean!" Logan warns and steps up behind me to grab my arm.

I turn and see the fear in his tired eyes. With a sigh, I shake my head in dismay. It seems the world is crumbling around me and I am helpless to prevent it. I look back at the professor and watch in confusion as he clutches his head and grimaces in pain. I slowly realise that I have channelled my anger into him in much the same way as I did to Anna. And I recall how good that felt. With a smile I focus on him and ignore Logan's shouts of warning as I take hold.

_Tbc ..._


	19. Chapter 19

_**ANNA**_

The pain in my head gradually eases as the morphine flows through my body and I'm grateful that my mutation isn't powerful enough to metabolise the drug before it has a chance to work.

Mutation. Suddenly it hits me. The past months have not been a dream. Even through the slight numbness from the opiate I can remember it all clearly and then suddenly I can see further. Much further back. Memories long since wiped clean have resurfaced, and with them comes an aching deep in my chest.

"Anna?"

I turn my head to the sound of her voice and nod slowly, the movement bringing with it another bout of nausea. Clutching the edge of the thin mattress, I wait for the dizziness to pass and try to steady my breathing.

"I can't tell you how sorry I am."

I open my eyes and wince as the bright room intensifies my headache. "Try." I husk.

Jean hangs her head and wipes her hand over her face. "There isn't time for games, Anna."

"Right." I groan and close my eyes. "That's why you've now piled nearly ten years of memories into my mind."

"I had no choice."

"I guess I'm lucky I still have a mind. After what you did."

"Anna …" Jean sighs, "I'm sorry."

I look back up at her and watch her shoulders sink heavily, suddenly feeling guilty for my selfish belief that I am the only one suffering here. "I know." I offer softly. Jean lifts her head and meets my gaze. Her eyes are tired and bloodshot and I hold my breath as I sense her connection still lingering in my thoughts.

"I was frightened," Jean mutters, "And after everything that has happened - "

"You thought I might do what I was designed to do." I smile thinly.

Jean nods slowly, "You had almost wiped the floor with two of our strongest men."

"I still can't believe that …" I sigh heavily, "I mean … something of what I can do came back when I was with Logan but - " I trail off for a moment as I recall my training. Taking a deep breath, I pull myself up and swing my legs round over the edge of the gurney. My head is swimming from the movement but somewhere in my mind is a clarity that I've not experienced for a long time. "It's so strange …" I mutter. I look down at Jean's pale face and shake my head slowly. "I've longed for this … for answers. But …" I look down at my hands and sudden tears blind my vision. "Now I know why they didn't want me to remember."

Jean leans forward in her chair and places her hands over mine. "But I need you to."

I lift my head and blink away the tears. I watch her for a moment and then feel a frown pulling at my forehead. "It was really him?"

Pain flashes across Jean's face for a moment and she shrugs her shoulders as she looks away from me. "So it seems."

My frown grows as I think back over all that has happened and can see now why I was so confused. The professor was afraid that I would recall his involvement in the experiments. He wanted to help me and wanted to allow some memories to surface, to use my experiences to lay a trail back to the people that were involved but he didn't want me to remember him. He knew the secret organisation behind the programme had to be exposed but he could not risk implicating himself. He knew what would happen. And the sadness in Jean's eyes tells me that he was right.

"He was only doing what he thought was best." I offer after a moment.

Jean spins back and frowns up at me. "He put us all in danger!" She counters huskily, "He lied to us!"

"I mean, at the beginning." I smile thinly, "When he heard about the experiments and got involved."

"Oh." Jean sinks back against her chair with a sigh. "I guess." She seems deep in thought for a moment and then closes her eyes. "But he should have told me."

"And would you have reacted any differently if he had told you sooner?"

Jean looks back up at me and manages a thin smile. "No." Her frown then returns as she watches me for a moment. "Why are you defending him?"

"I'm not," I shrug, "I'm just seeing everything clearly for the first time and … well … in a way, it all makes sense." I slide down from the gurney and step past her to look around at the infirmary. The mess of broken equipment has been cleared but evidence of what happened here is still apparent. I shudder as I see the stain on the centre of the floor and the smudged patch on the wall opposite where Hank tried to wipe the blood away. "But I can't believe it's happening."

"I know." Jean stands from her chair and wanders slowly over to me.

I sigh heavily and turn to her. "I'm so sorry about your friend."

Jean looks down at the floor and nods silently.

"What about the children?" I ask quietly.

"I don't know."

I hug my arms around my chest and flinch against the pain the action causes.

"What is it?" Jean moves past me and frowns as she looks into my face. "Anna?"

I manage a thin smile and look down at the standard issue prison two-piece that I'm still wearing. Damp stains mark the front and I timidly lift my hands to touch my hard breasts. "I haven't fed him for nearly a day." I explain quietly.

"Oh god, of course!" Jean gasps slightly. "Is there anything I can get you?"

I shrug my shoulders and my smile fades as I look back up at her. "My son." I reply quietly.

Jean nods and places her hand on my arm. "We will."

I nod quietly.

"We will get him back, Anna." Jean says again.

I glance up at her and nod in agreement but suddenly my optimism and determination slip as my mind is filled with images of my son. I can't even begin to imagine what they might doing to him. Or rather, I can but I won't let myself.

"It'll be okay." Jean offers softly, rubbing her hand across my shoulders in reassurance. "I promise."

I look into her sincere face and swallow back the lump in my throat as I see the expression in her eyes and I suddenly understand. She gave me back all my memories and all that she had read from the professor so that I can help her wipe out the organisation. She needs me to be the thing that they created. She wants me to help her kill them all.

"There's no one else now, Anna." Jean manages through the lump in her throat.

I watch her for a moment and my heart is racing. Somewhere in the back of my mind is the knowledge that I have felt this way before. Nervous excitement. Adrenaline surging through me as I contemplated what I was asked to do, planned how to do it and always succeeded. I can remember the efficient assassin that I was created to be and suddenly I smile at the thought of turning their own work against them. "I'll help you." I say firmly.

Jean watches me for a moment and nods again.

"Of course, you could simply force me to help you, whether I wanted to or not." I chuckle softly but my smile fades as I see the regret in her eyes at the memory of what she almost did to me. "I'll help you." I say again.

Jean steps back from me and sits back down in the chair beside her. She lets her head fall into her hands and groans weakly. "This is all such a mess."

I watch her in concern and am at a lost for words. Slowly I back up to the gurney and perch on the edge. We sit together in silence and I let my mind wander back through the memories that Jean has restored. It makes sense now. Why I have always been a loner. Since the age of 17 I've been working for the group my father helped create. I have never been close to anyone except those that were targeted for assassination and then all memory of what I did wiped over. It was the perfect arrangement. No one would suspect the college student, the quiet daughter of the senator, the reclusive PA. And if they ever did, my lies would be utterly convincing because even I would not know that they were lies.

"If I do this," I say after a moment, "If I help you. Will you take away all of this?" I watch as Jean slowly lifts her head to frown up at me. "I want to forget again." I continue.

Jean takes a deep breath and then quickly turns towards the door expectantly. We both watch as the door slides back and Jean smiles thinly in greeting.

Logan looks exhausted. I know that's practically impossible, but I guess emotional wounds aren't catered for in the advanced healing package. He walks slowly towards us and shakes his head.

"Anything?" Jean asks quietly.

"The house is definitely empty." Logan replies.

"And Charles?"

"He's still unconscious." He sighs.

Jean shrugs her shoulders slightly. "Perhaps that's for the best."

"What happened?" I frown in concern and watch the two of them glance at each other hesitantly. Something about the regret that is evident on Jean's face makes me shudder and I groan slightly. "Oh."

"I was angry." Jean husks.

I watch her for a moment and fight the urge to make a sarcastic observation, having tasted for myself the result of her anger. Turning to Logan, I can see a similar wariness in his face. "What now then?" I ask carefully. "Where do you think they took the children?"

Jean shrugs her shoulders and slowly lifts her head to look back up at me. "I don't know. I had hoped you would."

"But you'd have seen it if I did." I nod slightly, "What about the professor – he must - " I trail off as I see the pain that flashes across her face.

"He doesn't know." Jean mutters.

"It makes sense," Logan offers, "They were obviously keeping a hell of a lot from him." He sighs and shakes his head slowly, "God. How could he be so stupid?!"

Jean shrugs again and stands from her chair to step away from us both. "There's always Cerebro." She says after a moment.

"What?" Logan gasps and steps into her path as she heads for the door. "I thought it was dangerous for you."

Jean stops before him and sighs heavily. "There's no other option."

Logan regards her in concern and slowly reaches up to place his hand on her cheek. "You be careful."

Jean nods and moves past him towards the door.

Logan watches her leave and then sighs as he turns to me. "How you doing?" Logan asks softly.

"Groovy." I reply.

"They were some pretty snazzy moves back there." Logan offers with a smile.

"Chip off the old block, eh?" I agree quietly.

Logan's smile fades and he steps closer to me. "I'm sorry, Anna – I didn't mean -"

"It's okay," I shrug, "I know. It's just a lot to take in. I've gone from mother to murderer in what seems a few minutes."

"Oh, Anna." Logan crosses the distance between us in a heartbeat and wraps his arms around me.

I gasp as he hugs me tight against him and at first I want to push him away from my tender chest but suddenly I'm sobbing into his neck. I lean into him and clutch him closer to me.

"I know." Logan soothes.

"No! No, you don't!" I shout suddenly and push him back from me.

"Anna." Logan steps closer again. "I've been where you are."

"No!" I shout again and shove past him.

Logan grabs my arm and pulls me back. "So tell me." He urges, "Tell me how they took your life and ripped it away from you. How they made you a killer."

"It's not the same!" I counter angrily and shrug from his grip. I wander slowly across the room and close my eyes as an unexpected memory forces itself to the front of my mind and suddenly I can't breathe. Clutching at my throat, I am paralysed by a wave of nausea and remorse. My knees begin to give way and I'm sure I'll soon be hitting the glossy floor when Logan hurries up behind me and grabs my shoulders to steady me.

"Anna?" Logan demands worriedly.

"Oh god - " I choke, gasping for air. "Oh my god!" I whisper and lean back into him gratefully as my head is filled with the image of the pale man sprawled across the bloodstained tiles of a large bathroom. "I went back." I manage through the lump in my throat. "I went back to kill him."

"Who?" Logan asks quietly. He slowly turns me to face him and lifts my chin.

I keep my eyes tightly closed but cannot erase the image that burns there. I went back. After leaving Boston and starting my new job in New York, I returned one evening, waited for his wife to leave to go shopping and I then crept into the house. It was nothing new, I had murdered before. Even though the memory of my previous missions had been erased, I knew as I made my silent approach on him that I was practiced, efficient. But now I can recall that there was something unique about this kill; I had wanted it, enjoyed it.

"Anna?"

I open my eyes as Logan gently shakes me and for a moment I am dragged back to the present but even as I stare into his concerned eyes I can see only the horror on my last victims' face and can recall the pleasure that gave me. It was a sanctioned kill but one I had been glad to undertake. He had hurt me. I had been ordered to get close to him and I had achieved so much more with the information I had gained through his pillow talk. But I had let my guard down. For just a brief time he had gotten through and it had been enough to break my heart. The memory of an office party, too many margaritas and the inevitable one-night stand had been painted over the weeks of secret meetings and urgent sex in stolen moments.

"It's okay, Anna. I know." Logan has pulled me in close to him and is speaking softly against my cheek as he hugs me tightly. "I know."

I lean back from him and shake the memories from my mind as I push him away from me. "You keep saying that but you have no fucking idea what this is like!"

"Oh, but I do, Anna …" Logan sighs, "To suddenly know what you were created to be. To know what you have done."

"No." I shake my head slowly, "They gave you a war, Logan. Combat that you don't quite remember. Blurred images of battle." I swallow back the lump in my throat but my voice is still tight and forces me to whisper. "I got faces. Names. People I stalked and killed. You were designed to be the perfect soldier. I am an assassin."

Logan's shoulders droop and he backs off from me. "Oh my god."

"I can see them." I continue, sobs catching in my throat. "I had confusion before and I longed for clarity … but not this …"

"Oh, Anna." Logan approaches me cautiously and shakes his head slowly. "I'm sorry."

"And now I'm back to square one." I groan, "I was okay before. I'd sorted it out. Got my head in order. And then Max …" I close my eyes and my hands go instinctively to my abdomen. Suddenly I know that Jean is right and I understand what has to be done. "But I guess …" I sigh and look back up into Logan's concerned face. "I'll just have to get over it so that I can help you kill every last one of those fuckers."

Logan frowns and a slight gasp escapes his lips as he watches me cautiously.

"Don't tell me you – of all people – have a problem with that?" I laugh suddenly.

Logan slowly shakes his head and his frown fades a little. "No … No, not really … it's just …" He shrugs his shoulders, "It seems wrong that this is your idea."

"It's not." I counter firmly, "It's theirs. They chose their own fate when they fucked with us." I then nod towards the open door and smile thinly. "And it's what Jean wants." I turn back to Logan and my smile fades as I see the pain in his eyes. "She freed me from the professor's hold for one last mission."

Logan takes a deep breath and nods slowly, "I kinda figured that … and I guess Scott would - " he stops suddenly and closes his eyes.

I watch the hurt that passes across Logan's features and my heart is thumping in my ears. "What?" I ask carefully, "What's wrong?" I step towards him and place my hand on his arm. "Logan? Where is Scott?"

Logan's eyes suddenly open but he looks straight past me to the open door and a low groan escapes his throat as he rushes past me.

"Logan?" I demand worriedly and hurry from the room after him. The bright corridor hurts my eyes and slows me for a moment. I then turn and watch Logan skidding to a halt before the gaping entrance to an immense room at the end of the corridor. Jean is slumped against the wall beside the open doors and I break into a jog along the polished floor.

"Jean?!" Logan is urging worriedly as I kneel beside him on the floor.

Jean groans slightly and manages a thin smile as she glances up at Logan.

"What happened?" I ask softly.

Jean pinches the bridge of her nose for a moment and frowns as she tries to regain her composure. "I found the children." She answers huskily. "We should get going."

"But -" Logan begins to protest and is silenced by the determined glare that Jean suddenly shoots at him. He smiles and then nods as he stands and helps Jean to her feet.

XXXXX

I sit in silence in the locker room beside the immense hanger and I watch through the door as Hank hurries up inside the jet to run through the pre-flight checks for us. He has already managed to interpret the various flashes of information that Jean managed to gather from Cerebro and has plotted in the co-ordinates for a number of possible locations that we are going to now investigate. Jean was disappointed at not being able to gather more accurate details but somehow I get the impression that if she had used the powerful machine for too long then the effects would not be of the enjoyable kind.

I turn back from gazing at the powerful jet and watch as Jean slides her slender body into her leather suit. "Where is Scott?"

Jean gasps at the unexpected question and turns to me slowly. She zips the front of the suit closed and her hand rests there over her chest for a moment. "With the children." She smiles thinly, "I hope."

I watch her in silence as she gently touches my thoughts and then nods slightly. Jean sighs and sits down on the bench beside me. She gently places her hand on my arm and tears are welling in her eyes as she frowns and carefully sends me a mental picture to convey what she cannot put into words right now.

I cover my mouth with my hand but a slight sob escapes as my mind is filled with the answer to my question. I see through Jean's eyes the memory of trying desperately to resuscitate him on the floor of their bedroom and the knowledge that they were fighting a hopeless cause. Now I am in the infirmary and I watch as Hank is carefully checking again the readouts from the monitors that are plugged into Scott's lifeless form and my heart aches as I see the despair in the immense man's face. Realisation flows through me like a wave of pain and words that I do not completely understand race into my mind. Hank is now holding me close to him and muttering something about myocardium weakened by the virus and too many cardiac arrests.

"Oh god." I groan as Jean slowly pulls back from my mind. Opening my eyes, I watch the tears that flood down her cheeks and I sit forward to grab her shoulders and clutch her to me. "Oh god, Jean." I fight back my own sobs as Jean trembles against me and I stroke my hand through her hair.

"He slipped into a coma again." Jean mutters against my shoulder. "It was only the machines that were keeping him alive. I don't know why they took him."

"Insurance."

Jean and I both turn towards the voice and see Logan watching us from the doorway.

"I don't understand." I frown.

"The children that they took were creations from the laboratory." Logan replies quietly and watches Jean in concern, "They must think that the professor might not be as concerned for their safety as he would be for one of his own. Most of the other children are either safe with their families for the holidays or were killed by the virus."

"So they took Scott to bargain with." I conclude with a sigh. "Sick bastards."

"In one way, it's a good thing." Logan adds.

"It is?" I demand.

Logan takes a deep breath and shrugs his shoulders. "Judging from what they have created, they obviously have some advanced technology … and they cannot use him to bargain with if he dies."

"I hadn't thought of that." Jean says suddenly.

I turn to her and watch as a slight smile pulls at her lips and she nods at Logan gratefully. She has been too close to the situation to think clearly and I know all too well how that feels. "Perhaps I shouldn't come." I say suddenly.

"What?" Jean gasps.

"I know now who I am and what I can do." I begin quietly, "But I'm too involved. They have my son and they will use that against me. That makes me a danger to you."

Jean watches me for a moment and nods slowly. "I think I can change that."

I look into her sincere face and my heart is thudding against my chest as I realise what she means. "You haven't seen the monster that is underneath it all." I offer softly, "And I'm not sure I want you to."

"But it might be the monster that we need." Logan counters carefully and steps further into the room.

I turn to him and shake my head as panic starts to build inside me.

"And it's a monster we can control." Jean agrees quietly.

I spin back to her and can feel fresh tears stinging my eyes.

"The professor was using a technique that he made me vow never to use. I may have honoured that promise but that does not mean that I have forgotten."

I watch her for a moment and then take a deep breath. "You could be sure that I would not hurt any of you?"

Jean nods and smiles thinly. "You will hurt only those who deserve it." She nods and her smile then fades as she suddenly looks past me and sees the figure that now stands in the open doorway.

The three of us are soon watching Hank as he shakes his head slowly and steps into the room.

"I cannot believe that you are speaking of this." Hank groans.

"They killed our children, Hank." Jean counters firmly, "And Ro …"

Hank folds his arms across his chest as he nods slowly and his gentle gaze rests on her tired face. "And if you kill in their name then their souls will be forever tarnished."

"So we don't kill." Logan shrugs, "We disable, disarm. It's possible." He glances at me and smiles thinly.

"Fine." Jean stands quickly and nods in agreement. "Whatever."

"Jean." Hank warns quietly and watches her making her way towards the hanger.

"Oh, for fucks sake, Hank!" Jean shouts suddenly and spins back to glare angrily at him. "They crossed the line! And they have taken everything from me!"

"We are all hurting, Jean." Hank counters evenly.

Jean closes her eyes and nods slowly. "I know … I know." She looks back up at him and lets out a heavy sigh. "God, I'm so tired." She groans and her shoulders fall as she leans back against the doorframe heavily. "But this has to end."

I watch in apprehension as Jean turns to me and suddenly I understand what she is asking of me. Glancing at Logan, I realise that she has two of the most powerful weapons at her disposal and she is going to use them.

"Just …" Hank turns from Jean to me and sighs loudly. "Just be careful." He says quietly and shakes his head as he strides from the room.

"Jean …" Logan begins softly.

"Oh, don't you start!" Jean snaps at him.

"Hey!" Logan hurries over to her and places a hand on her arm. "It's me."

"I know." Jean calms quickly as she looks up into his face and she lifts her hand to touch his cheek. "But I don't want you, Logan. I need the Wolverine."

I watch in concern as Logan's body suddenly shudders and he staggers back from Jean. It takes him a second to compose himself and he shakes his head to clear whatever it was that she had projected into his thoughts.

"Jean!" Logan gasps breathlessly, "Jean, what the fuck -" He looks up at her and the confusion in his face soon fades as he sees the determination on her face. Slowly straightening back up, he turns to me and swallows hard. Without a word he looks back at Jean and nods in agreement before wandering from the room.

"What was that about?" I ask softly.

Jean sighs and slowly makes her way back across the room to stand before me. "I just needed him to understand. As you do."

I frown slightly as I sense her gentle touch on my mind and I sigh heavily. "It's getting hard to work out which thoughts are my own."

Jean smiles and steps closer to me. She reaches up and brushes my hair back from my face with her slender fingers. "I promise, Anna. When this is over, I will give you back the life that you deserve."

"And what will you have?"

Jean's smile fades slightly. "That remains to be seen." She replies and then steps past me to open one of the many lockers that line the wall. "Now," She mutters as she reaches into the locker. "As fetching as the convict image is, I feel that something more suitable is required." Jean smiles as she pulls a black uniform from the locker and holds it out to me.

"That's one of yours." I frown slightly.

"No, it's one of Ro's."

I gasp and step back from her with a shake of my head.

"The leather is supple enough to move freely in but the suit is reinforced with Kevlar shielding. You'll need that."

I shake my head again.

"You might have been created with some of Logan's healing ability but you are not invincible." Jean urges.

"But … it's your friend's." I counter quietly.

Jean's smile fades and she looks down at the suit in her hands. "I know." She closes her eyes and then takes a deep breath. "And you're about her size." She replies firmly, a thin smile returning as she looks back up at me.

It takes a few moments to wriggle into the suit and the leather is tight over the pregnancy padding that sits on my hips and thighs. I grit my teeth as I zip up the front and the black suit presses firmly across my chest. For a moment I can't breathe because of the intense pain in my swollen breasts and I sit down heavily on the bench.

"Anna?" Jean asks worriedly and hurries over to me.

I hold up my hand to keep her back from me and manage to nod slightly. "Just give me a second." I husk.

Jean perches carefully on the bench beside me and watches me in concern. "Is it that bad?"

"I …" I press my hands against my tight chest and take a deep breath. "I'll be okay."

Jean nods and stands slowly. "I'll meet you in the jet."

The boots are slightly too small for me but the gloves are a perfect fit and I pull them on as I gaze at my blurred reflection in the shiny surface of the locker door. I wonder if perhaps a time would have come when I would have wanted more than anything to wear this suit and be part of something. But right now it does nothing but remind me how this world is seemingly crumbling down around us. I reach up and touch the emblem on the collar under my chin and tears fill my eyes as I remember nestling my face against the symbol and Scott's arms closed around me. I had been terrified and in so much pain. I think I remember pushing him away from me at first but then he held me close to him and even amid the confusion and hurt, I can remember taking a deep lungful of his scent. I lift my arm to my nose and breathe in the smell of the leather, a sob escaping my lips as I realise how I long to be held by him again.

"You okay?"

I wipe my face with my gloved hands and turn slowly to see Logan standing in the doorway. The smile of approval that crosses his mouth makes me blush self-consciously and I look away from him.

"Ready for this?" Logan continues softly.

I turn back to him and watch as he crosses the room towards me. "No." I answer honestly.

Logan nods thoughtfully and his smile grows as he looks down at his own matching uniform. "You have no idea how hard it usually is to be allowed to wear this. You have to do some serious training and prove yourself worthy before Cyclops will even think of …" He trails off for a moment and shakes his head slowly. "He was crazy with anger when I showed up and Charles ordered him to make me part of the team." Logan smiles at the memory and takes a deep breath as he reaches out and places his arm on my shoulder. "But I don't think he would complain if he could see you in this now." His fingers trace one of the lines of silver ribbing that decorate the shoulder and he sighs slightly. "Especially this one."

I nod in thanks for the compliment and look up into his face. "I'm not joining the team, Logan."

"Hmm." Logan chuckles softly, "That's what I said."

"I'm serious." I urge and watch the concern that fills his eyes. "I'm only doing this for Jean. Then she promised she would let me go."

Logan watches me for a long moment and the pain that moves across his face tells me that he understands. He moves his hand up to rest a gloved hand on my cheek. "You want to forget us, Anna?"

I lift my hand to place it over his and close my eyes. "I want my life back." I look back up at him and blink away my tears. "You understand, don't you?"

"More than you know." Logan nods slowly and manages a thin smile before pulling back his hand and turning away from me. "We should get going."

_Tbc..._


	20. Chapter 20

_**JEAN**_

I knew what we were doing when we set out from the mansion. I had it all planned in my mind and I knew that there was no other choice. All reasoning and rationalising had been completed in my head before we even landed behind the complex. But somehow I was not expecting to feel like I do now.

It was the third location that we had checked out. A low pass over the complex had revealed the same military presence as the other two but there was something different about this place. I knew as soon as I realised that I could sense nothing beyond the walls of the widespread building that we had found our quarry. No one else but those involved in the experiments would know to put up telepathic shielding. It was only the power of Cerebro that had allowed me a brief glimpse inside and even the professor's impressive machine had not been able to break through the barrier for long.

We approached the complex from the protection of the nearby forest and the fading evening light gave us some advantage but the muffled cry of Logan's first kill had quickly revealed our presence and suddenly the grounds were alive with noise and back up charging onto the scene. Of course, that was the plan. We needed a distraction to allow Anna and I to sneak inside the building unnoticed and we could think of no greater distraction than an angry Wolverine.

We could have promised each other that no lives would be lost but the three of us knew all too well what was at stake here. And though this was my idea and I was technically heading this operation, it was I who had the greatest problem with what was going to happen. Anna was trusting in me to erase all memory of this night from her mind. Logan was worryingly at ease with the idea of not trying not to hurt anyone but then I can understand him. We have become his family, his pack. Any threat to us would be met with the full force of his rage and, unless he was ordered otherwise, any perceived enemy had to be eliminated. It was going to be me, and me alone, that would have to deal with the consequences. But all thoughts of repercussions were swept aside as Anna found a weak point in the security system and we broke into the building.

They were expecting us. Somehow they had guessed exactly what we had planned and the distraction from Logan had not been as effective as we had been led to believe. We stepped into the corridor and were met by a well-armed welcoming committee who were soon joined by further soldiers in an attempt to ambush us.

I had seen in Anna's mind what she was capable of. I had shared the memory of her kills. But to see her in action was something else. Even in the dim lighting of the corridor she was accurate and fast. I had not realised how many ways there are to kill a man. Even a man in full combat gear and armed with a semi-automatic weapon. While I shoved my attackers back with psychic blasts and tugged their weapons from their hands, Anna met them head on. With an upper cut to the face she rammed one soldier's nose into his brain. Others she used as a shield against their comrades and two died instantly as she snapped their necks.

Most of her fight was lost to me as I struggled with my own attackers but after only a few minutes the corridor was quiet and I stared breathlessly at the scene around us. Lines of bullet impacts ran along the walls and the floor was covered in the bodies of the dead and the dying. Suddenly the full implications of what we were doing hit me and my own words swam hauntingly around my mind as I remembered trying to justify our actions. My legs felt weak and I swallowed back the bile in my throat. Somehow I kept my composure and slowly turned to see Anna making her way over to me. She collected rifles and extra cartridges as she neared me and a chill ran through me as she looked up at me with emotionless eyes.

"Well?" Anna urged after a moment.

"What?" I frowned in confusion.

Anna looked round at the various unmoving soldiers and shrugged her shoulders. "Find out where are the children are."

I quickly came to my senses and knelt down to hurriedly examine the men closest to me. One of them was still alive, barely. I placed my hands either side of his face and tried to ignore his gasps of pain as my intrusion added to his agony. His thoughts concentrated on the many bullets that had torn through him and it took effort to read past his pain. As I searched through his mind, I found a mental plan of the complex and the cells below ground where the children were being held. Then it hit me. I fell back onto my heels and there again was the nausea. This time I could not hold it back and my chest ached as I wretched violently.

"What?" Anna urged.

"Nothing." I wiped my mouth on the back of my sleeve and stood slowly, my knees trembling beneath me as I stepped over the bodies to join her. "I saw his family."

"Oh." Anna offered coolly, "And the children?"

I nodded and pointed down the corridor. "That way." I watched as Anna turned from me and, without a word, headed in the direction as I had indicated. I reminded myself that I had done this. I had used the same technique as the professor to paint over certain parts of her mind. She knew who I was and whom we were saving but she was focused purely on what needed to be done. The ease of the control scared me and I began to realise why the professor had made me promise to never use it. It was so simple that it was dangerously seductive.

We made our way through the complex quietly. Each corner or junction was carefully scrutinized with a combination of my telepathy and Anna's instinct. The ambush was apparently not expected to fail and the lack of cameras in the hallways spoke of the self-assurance of whoever was in charge here.

"Jean?!"

The sudden shout in my earpiece was loud in the silence of the corridor and I jumped slightly. Anna immediately halted her approach to the end junction and touched her own earpiece to convey that she had heard him, too. She then raised a finger to her lips and nodded towards the end of the corridor.

_We're fine._ I conveyed back to Logan. _Where are you?_

"In a security room inside the main entrance. Have you found the children?"

_They're in holding cells in the basement. There's only one elevator access and we're on our way there now_.

"No. There's activity in the laboratory. You should head there. I'll get the children."

I closed my eyes as I realised what he implied. The children might need medical attention if the scientists were working on them. I took a deep breath and then sent him details of the route down to the basement. _There's very little surveillance here, Logan. I don't like it._

"I know. It's seeming more like a trap every second."

I glanced at Anna and watched her nodding in confirmation of Logan's deduction. _Be careful, Logan._

"Call me when you reach the lab." He signed off.

The slight buzz of the open connection ceased and although I could easily read Logan's thoughts still, I turned my focus back to Anna and nodded behind us. We needed to retrace our steps back a short way and then make our way through to the laboratory. The thought of what might be in progress made me shudder and I shook my head to rid my mind of the ideas that were emerging, suddenly glad that Anna did not seem to be reacting to the notion of scientists and laboratories the way she used to.

Cautiously we crept through the building and met no resistance as we finally turned a corner and could see the guarded entrance to the rear section. Thick glass windows revealed a wide expanse of open laboratories and somewhere in the furthest room were figures moving behind the partly closed blinds.

"Try another way?" I whispered to Anna.

Anna shook her head and glanced back at me. "Too easy. They put the guards there to make us try another route." She replied under her breath.

"Or maybe this is always guarded?" I countered.

Anna shook her head again. "They're too obvious." She nodded towards the two guards, "If they were a permanent presence they would be more relaxed."

"What? Even though they know Logan's in the building?" I chuckled softly.

Anna turned to glare at me in disapproval. "They know he's going for the children." She sighed, "You want my help or not?"

"Of course." I nodded, my smile fading as I watched her regarding me in annoyance.

"Then just shut the fuck up and do exactly as I say." Anna hissed and nodded towards the guards. "I'm gonna take out these guys. Be ready in case their friends arrive." She handed me the radio handset she had snatched from one of the previous guards and turned back to her targets.

"Okay." I frowned slightly and reminded myself that this was no longer Anna. She did not have Anna's responses and definitely no sense of humour. I watched as she stealthily approached the guards and leapt from the shadows of the corridor to down them both with a precise kick to the junction of their necks to their shoulders. She then ducked down low out of sight and was still for a few moments while she listened for any approaching footsteps. The low noise from the radio indicated that the remaining guards were setting up surveillance in various points around the complex and a few were in pursuit of Logan. I kept low as I crossed the corridor to join Anna and waited for her instruction.

"I'm guessing there'll be minimal security in the actual labs." Anna offered quietly. "I should go help Logan."

I started to protest but saw a brief flash of something familiar in Anna's eyes as she placed her hand on my arm.

"If these people are who I think they are, they will not harm you." Anna said quietly.

"What? How do you know that? Who are they then?" I demanded in a harsh whisper. "Anna?"

"I'm not sure." Anna shrugged, "Call it a hunch."

"What?" I stared at her in confusion. A brief touch of her mind and I was sure that the mind control was still in place and yet there was something of her breaking through. But there was nothing in her thoughts to reveal who these people were and I watched in dismay as Anna began to move past me.

"Call if you need us." Anna whispered and disappeared into the corridor.

I stayed there crouched on the floor for a long moment, my heart pounding in my ears. None of this was what I had expected and it was throwing me into confusion. Taking a deep breath, I decided to trust Anna's instinct and slowly got to my feet.

The main door into the labs was unlocked and there was no audible alarm. I stepped inside and was greeted with a familiar shimmering silver corridor. Doors led off to each side and there were no windows here to see through to the labs. Judging from where the movement had been seen, I headed for a door at the end of the corridor and halted outside to read through into the laboratory. I could make out at least six different minds beyond the door, all busy with the follow up plans for a procedure that had just taken place. I let myself rest briefly in each mind and frowned as I found no negative thoughts or malice, they were genuinely concerned for their patient and shared a nervous excitement about their work. Grasping the handle, I slowly opened the door and peered inside.

Oblivious to my presence and with their backs to me, the three men and one woman were sat together at a small desk, sipping coffee and chatting sparsely. Each was dressed in pale blue theatre scrubs and a white medical coat. Two still wore protective theatre hats and one of the men had a stethoscope hung round his neck. The scene looked like any ordinary hospital rest room and I soon realised that these were genuine staff that had been called in from the local hospital. The woman was now thinking about her children and was disappointed that she would be home well after they had gone to bed.

Suddenly one of the men saw me out of the corner of his eye and spun round in alarm. "Who are you?"

Now all eyes rested on me and I faltered for a moment. The man with the stethoscope stood quickly and glanced up and down at the dark uniform I wore. He hurried from the room and shouted for assistance.

I was at a loss. These were not the enemy I was expecting to find. These were innocent civilians. Suddenly weary with all that had happened over the past few days, all I could do was stand there before the three remaining staff and they watched me warily as I paused by the door.

"Dr. Grey?"

I look up from the worried faces of the three remaining staff and see a young man in a suit standing in the doorway. He seems familiar somehow and I stare at him in confusion.

"It was you?" The man sighs in relief and laughs slightly. "Oh thank goodness! We thought it was more anti-mutant lobbyists. They did a great deal of damage last time they broke in."

I can feel a frown forming over my tired eyes and I shake my head slowly. "What?" I eventually manage. "Who are you?"

"Oh, forgive my manners. My name is Graham. Graham Kinsolving." The young man hurries forward and holds out his hand. "We met at the senate hearing last year."

I timidly shake his hand and my frown grows as I looked into his pleasant face. "We've met?"

"Yes." Graham urges, "Although, your impact on me was evidently more profound!" He laughs again. "But then you must meet so many people in your line of work. My face was one among thousands."

"My line of work?" I repeat, baffled.

"Your genetic research." Graham nods, "You have no idea how valuable your work has been to us. When Professor Xavier started this project, we -"

"What? What did you say?"

Graham's smile falters for a moment. "This is the Xavier Institute for Genetic Research."

"What?" Suddenly I'm laughing and I shake my head in disbelief. "Nice try. What's really going on here?"

Graham looks around at his colleagues and a frown has settled on his even brow. "I don't understand." He shrugs, "I thought you knew."

"If I _knew_ then why would I have to break in? And dodge the bullets of the welcoming committee?"

"We are on full alert since the destruction of the complex outside Washington. The guards have been ordered to shoot any unannounced visitors, even if it's someone they know." Graham explains calmly.

I nod in understanding. "Mystique."

Graham shudders slightly. "Not one of the most pleasant of our kind."

"Our kind?"

"Mutants." Graham shrugs and again looks round at the staff who are now watching me in bemusement. "We are all connected to the cause here, either because we are mutants ourselves or have family who are."

I look around at the staff and shake my head slowly. "This is all news to me."

"Let me introduce you." Graham continues and indicates each of the staff.

The group comprises of an anaesthesiologist, two theatre nurses and a theatre assistant. I look round at their slightly anxious expressions as Graham explains that they have all offered to give their spare time to the institute and are called in whenever needed.

"Funding has been tight of late and so we have had to rely on the good will of staff from the local area. Our three surgeons have gone home for the night." Graham continues, "But will remain on standby in case they are needed. I'm the administrator of the site and generally spend every waking moment here."

Suddenly a chill runs through me and I turn back to Graham. "Surgeons?"

Graham nods, "Of course. Come with me."

I let Graham take my arm and he leads me from the room into the adjoining corridor. We walk along past the glass-fronted rooms and I peer into various laboratories that are not dissimilar to my own.

"The professor said you would want to be here but we could not contact him and thought we should get on with it. I was quite worried when we did not hear from him. Is Charles alright?"

"Fine." I say quickly.

Graham glances back at me and seems to have noted the speed of my reply but makes no comment.

We turn into the end room and my stomach tightens. I stare in horror at the form in the bed and can feel tears welling in my eyes. "Scott?" I somehow manage.

The nurse that has been attaching a fresh bag of fluids to an IV line turns and smiles at me. "He'll be fine." She offers gently. "He's sedated at the moment but he's doing well. Come on in, honey." She hurries over and takes my arm to lead me over to the bed. "He was lucky we got to him in time." She continues and pulls up a chair, guiding me alongside the bed to sit by Scott and she then wanders from the room.

Slowly I take in all the monitoring equipment and can see for myself that he is stable. I pull off my gloves and reach out to touch his face. His skin is warm and soft from recent bathing and I am impressed by how well he has been cared for but also saddened that I could not attend to him so kindly. I let my fingers travel along the line of his cheekbone and back across his jaw. An ET tube protrudes from his mouth but I gently touch his lips and feel the layer of Vaseline that has been carefully applied. My eyes then travel down his body and I note the monitoring cables that extend from the thin catheter threaded into the vein in his neck, something Hank and I have never dared try. I reach out and carefully touch the gauze dressing that runs down his chest. Small spots of blood have oozed through from the wound beneath and I swallow hard. "In time?" I manage huskily, suddenly remembering the nurse's words. I look up at Graham and watch him nod as he approaches the bed. "But … he has a rare blood type … how did you find a donor so fast?"

Graham shrugs, "We have many means at our disposal." He sees the horror in my face and quickly raises his hands in reassurance. "The donor died of natural causes."

I look back down at Scott and tears blind my vision as I reach up and stroke his hair back from his forehead.

"In truth," Graham continues, "We have been desperately searching for a compatible donor ever since the professor told us of his collapse."

Scott's eyes are now moving slightly beneath his closed lids and I smile as I let myself sink into his drug-laced thoughts. The images in his mind make no sense to me but the fact that they are there is wonderful. I seek out the hand that lies close to me on the covers and I grip his fingers as I let my head fall onto his shoulder.

"I'll leave you." Graham offers softly.

I have enough of a link already established to know that Graham is not lying and I can sense nothing more than the truth of his words. Confusion is making my head spin and suddenly I'm wondering which version of events is the illusion. I touch the tiny transmission button on my earpiece and hear the connection. "Logan? Anna?" There is no response and I close my eyes as I try to sense my companions. My heart is racing as I touch the panic in their thoughts and then they disappear from my reach and I realise that they have gone outside and are beyond the barrier built into the outer wall. I grasp Scott's hand tighter in my own and turn back to Graham. "Wait!" I lift my head and see him pause at the door. "There is still a lot that needs to be explained."

"I don't know what you mean." Graham replies, his face pale with worry. "We are working with you, Jean."

"Why did you take the children?"

"To protect them." Graham shrugs. "They were no longer safe at the school. Charles knew that and asked us to collect them."

I stand slowly from my chair and shake my head. "No. You abducted them. And you shot two of my friends in the process."

Graham gasps and stares at me in horror. "No! Charles met us at the school."

I watch him suspiciously. "The agents threatened Charles and removed the children by force."

"No," Graham urges, "It was Charles's idea - he helped us safely move the children here."

"To a prison?" I demand.

"A what? No, they are safe in comfortable quarters in the basement."

"What about the virus?" I continue as calmly as I can, adrenaline surging through me. I could implode this man's mind with just a thought and it is taking all my control not to try. "If this place is so fantastic, why didn't you stop the virus?"

"We only found out about it the same time you did. The professor sent us a sample and we manufactured a cure just after you did. We put our antidote into the water supply. The strain that has been released should do no damage."

I falter for a moment. I want desperately to believe what this man is telling me but too much has happened that clouds my judgement. Too much deception. Too many lies.

Suddenly there is a commotion beyond the corridor and Graham hurries from the room. I wait by Scott and flinch with each gunshot that reverberates around the complex. The staff are screaming in terror and pain and then my stomach turns as I hear a familiar growl. I hurry into the corridor and watch in horror as Logan and Anna step over the bodies of Graham's staff and stride along the corridor towards me. Graham is fleeing a short way ahead of them and calls out to me in fright as he turns and sees Anna raising her gun towards him. I step backwards and fall against the end wall as I hear the gun fire and Graham halts suddenly, arching his back and reaching behind him to where the bullet impacted. With a moan he then tumbles to the floor and lays there still.

My breathing is coming in quick, frightened gasps as I edge back further against the wall and watch Logan and Anna approaching me slowly. "Anna?" I can hear my heart pounding in my ears as I gently touch her thoughts and sense the calm that lies there. She is focused on nothing but me. She stops a few feet from me to smile in recognition and I sigh in relief. "The children?" I ask quickly.

"The children are safe." Logan replies huskily, stepping up behind Anna and glaring at me in anger. "You failed." He adds with a growl.

"What?" I gasp.

Anna raises her gun and aims directly at me. Logan snarls and begins to move past her but Anna catches his arm and pulls him back. He spins on her angrily and Anna smiles coolly. "Me first." She orders huskily and then turns back to me. "You can have her when I'm through."

"What?" I demand in terror. "Anna? It's me."

"I know." Anna's smile grows. "That's why I'm going to enjoy this."

I watch in horror as her finger closes around the trigger. "Wait! Please!" I beg and my hands are trembling as I raise them before me. "This isn't real. It can't be real. Think about this, Anna."

"Oh, I have." Anna chuckles suddenly.

"No!" I shout again, my voice cracking under fear. Somehow I manage to compose myself long enough to touch her mind again and I pull away the shield that I had placed over her thoughts. I watch with baited breath as Anna slowly lowers her gun and all colour drains from her face.

"Oh god …" Anna groans and closes her eyes.

"What are you doing?" Logan demands as he turns angrily towards Anna. "Shoot her!"

I step away from the wall and approach Anna cautiously, allowing a smile to cross my mouth as she looks back up at me. _Anna, it's me. _I send carefully to her and now turn my attention to Logan. He is watching me intently, his body tense as he waits beside Anna and poises ready to strike. I can see powerful muscles tightening beneath the blood-soaked leather of his suit and I shudder, as I read nothing from his mind but a powerful desire to tear me apart. "Logan," I whisper shakily, "Logan, it's me."

"NO!" Anna shouts, suddenly filled with renewed energy and anger. "You are not Jean!" She cries and pulls the trigger.

The force of the bullet slamming into my shoulder sends me spiralling backwards and I hit the wall with a groan. Dizzy lights dance in front of my eyes as I slide down to the floor and burning pain tears through my right shoulder and arm. I lift my other hand to touch my shoulder and sigh in relief, as my fingers find no break in the material. Slowly I clamber up onto my knees and somehow stand, trembling from the force of the impact. "Anna … please." I plead.

Anna crosses the distance between us in a heartbeat and presses the barrel of the gun into my forehead. "There's no Kevlar here." She grates huskily.

"Anna …" Logan warns.

I glance past Anna's hate-filled face and watch Logan advancing slowly. His thoughts are now purely concerned with Anna's safety and my heart sinks. I can't sense the hold that someone obviously has on them. Then I wonder if perhaps they have been drugged somehow. I return my attention to Anna and groan in dismay as I see the pain in her eyes.

"You lied to me." Anna growls under her breath.

I swallow hard as her finger tightens again on the trigger and I can hear the mechanism sliding the bullet into place. I find myself praying that Scott would wake up. Sure, he might bring the whole place down on us but I might be able to hold back the rubble. It would be distraction enough to get out of this situation. If I had been thinking straight, I would have pulled the gun from her grasp but I know that she can easily kill without a weapon and, besides, she has an angry Logan with her. I then see the tears forming in her eyes and I realise that if she was really that determined to kill me, I would already be dead. "When did I lie, Anna?" I ask as calmly as I can.

"All the time!" Anna replies quietly, renewed anger sparking in her eyes. "All the time you pretended to be what you were not."

My heart leaps as I get a sudden flash of an image from Anna's thoughts. Her mother. My god, she thinks I'm Mystique! My mind is now racing, trying to think of a way to prove who I am. "Remember when we scanned Max, Anna. The first time you saw him on the screen." My heart picks up in speed as I see the hesitation on Anna's face. "You were disappointed. You wanted him dead. But I couldn't do it. You begged me to but I couldn't."

"Shut up!" Anna shouts suddenly, tears flooding down her cheeks. "You leave Max out of this! You took him from me, you bitch! But you cannot have him! He's _my _son!"

I gasp as I see in Anna's mind the truth about the child they created in her and suddenly so much makes sense. Now I understand why Mystique was so eager to help Anna and I can sense the fear that Anna has hidden for so long. The fear that Mystique would steal her baby or that we would want to harm him because of what he is. I can feel tears welling in my eyes as I realise what Anna has been through and a sigh escapes my lips. "I know he's your son." I manage calmly, "And I know you love him. But it was not always this way."

"Stop it!" Anna sobs.

"How could I know that unless I was me?" I continue softly.

"You could easily guess that! I told you about my time with them!"

"No, Anna." I persevere coolly, sensing her resolve fading. "It's me. It's Jean. You know it is."

"No!" Anna cries, her lips trembling. "Jean is with the children! You tried to kill her!"

I shake my head slowly, the barrel of the gun moving with me. "That's the illusion. I'm real." I swallow hard, trying to remember something further back. I touched her thoughts briefly when I lifted the block that Charles had placed over her mind and I search for a memory that she must know that only I will have seen. I watch the pain that crosses her face as I gently place childhood images into her thoughts. Fresh tears tumble down her flushed cheeks as she remembers her brother and her father and her arm relaxes a little, the gun moving back slightly from my skin.

"No!" Anna shouts suddenly and shakes her head to clear her thoughts. "That was an illusion, too. They weren't my real family. If you were Jean, you would know that."

"No, Anna. Your family was real. They loved you. They never wanted to give you up." I urge softly.

"You lie!" Anna shouts again, her voice faltering.

"Anna, don't listen." Logan urges softly and glares at me with open anger. "It's not Jean."

"Logan, it _is_ me!" I argue desperately, sobs escaping my tight throat. "You must know it's me."

"You're very, very good." Logan offers with a sigh, "But you cannot change your scent."

My heart slams into my chest and I stare at them both in horror. I don't know how it has been done but nothing can stop this now. I look into Anna's eyes and know with all certainty that she is going to shoot me. "I'm sorry." I offer quietly and suddenly duck. Raising both hands out before me I send both of them hurtling back through the corridor. I don't wait to see where they land or even if I have effectively disabled them but l hear them both slam into the door at the far end as I hurry into Scott's room. I quickly glance at Scott's unmoving form before then leaping up a few steps from the window. I crash through the glass and land awkwardly on the floor of the adjoining laboratory, my right arm still numb and weakened from the impact of the bullet. It takes me a second to pull myself together and then adrenaline surges through me as I race through the room and I am about to make my leap through the next window when I see his reflection in the glass.

I know I can't outrace him and so, at the last moment, I turn and face him. "Logan!" I shout angrily. He has already begun his lunge towards me and I hold up my left arm before me as I apply my focus and stop his advance. But I wasn't fast enough. I watch in horror as two of the gleaming claws from his right fist sink through my palm.

I can't breathe. I stare in shock at the shiny metal that protrudes from the back of my hand and wonder for a moment at the lack of pain. Slowly I look past the claws and watch Logan glaring at me in fury. For a second his anger falters and he seems as surprised as me but then a smile pulls at his tight lips and he chuckles softly.

"That's the second time I've had the pleasure …" Logan offers huskily as he steps closer to me and he nods in pleasure towards my skewered hand. "This time, I'll make sure you're dead." He grates and draws back his left arm to drive the other set of claws into my abdomen.

_Tbc ..._  



	21. Chapter 21

_**JEAN**_

"Stop!"

I gasp at the sudden shout and watch as Anna clambers into the room through the shattered window.

"Logan!" Anna calls breathlessly as she rushes over to us and she quickly grabs Logan's arm. "Don't!"

I watch Anna turn to me and her pale face is filled with sorrow. "Anna?" I inquire cautiously.

Anna closes her eyes and sighs loudly as she rests her face against Logan's shoulder. "Logan … it's Jean." She manages huskily.

"What?" Logan gasps.

"Think about it, Logan." Anna lifts her head to see Logan staring down at her in disbelief. "She was in our heads."

"But that's what the children said," Logan argues, "She was working with a telepath. She fooled all of them – all of us!"

Anna shakes her head slowly and tears are welling in her eyes as she looks back at me. "But only Jean could throw us like that."

Logan slowly turns to look into my face and my heart sinks as I see the realisation that spreads across his face. He stares at me in horror for a long moment and then he seems to suddenly remember what has happened. I close my eyes as he looks towards my impaled hand and he groans in dismay.

"Oh crap!" Anna sighs as she too now focuses on the damage.

It must have seemed that I was about to collapse because suddenly Anna has hurried behind me and is steadying me with her own weight. She pulls a nearby chair up against the back of my legs and begins to ease me into it but the movement brings a sudden jolt of searing pain down my left arm and I clutch at my wrist, somehow trying to cut off the sensation from my hand.

"It's okay." Anna soothes quietly. "You'll be okay."

I let her guide me slowly down onto the chair and Logan moves with me, adjusting the angle of his forearm as he sinks carefully to his knees.

"We'll need bandages." Anna thinks aloud and stands up straight as she looks around us.

"The cupboards in Scott's room." I manage huskily and nod towards the adjoining room.

"Scott?" Anna gasps. "He's here? Where? We searched but -" suddenly she looks across the room and sees through the shattered window the figure lying in the medical bed in the adjoining laboratory. "Oh no …" Anna groans and turns back to look down at me. "What have they done?"

My already racing heart skips a beat as I now see Logan carefully turning to see what Anna has seen. As I begin to realise that Scott was hidden from them, I close my eyes and concentrate on searching the building. Somewhere nearby is a powerful telepath but I cannot pinpoint where or who. "We have to get out of here." I urge quickly. "And soon."

Anna nods and hurries across the room to jump through the broken window and begin searching for supplies. She pauses only briefly to glance at Scott's still form and then continues with her hunt.

"What the fuck is going on, Jean?" Logan husks.

I now see the tears that have gathered in his eyes and I manage a thin smile. "I wish I knew."

"I'm so sorry." He continues quietly, nodding towards the claws that have passed through my hand.

"It's not your fault." I shrug slightly, instantly regretting the action as pain again shoots from my hand. I swallow back the bile in my throat and tighten my grip on my wrist, somehow thinking that the pain from squeezing hard there will counteract the burning in my hand. "It's not that bad." I continue, trying to sound casual. "I can move my fingers and it looks like the blades slipped between the bones."

"Oh god." Logan groans.

"It could have been worse." I offer carefully. I'm surprised at the revulsion in his face but I soon realise that it's not the injury that concerns him but simply the fact that he has damaged me. I let go of my wrist and carefully lean towards him to place my good hand on his face. "It's not your fault." I say again softly.

"Okay, guys." Anna declares as she hurries back into the room and kneels down beside me. Her arms are laden with gauze padding and bandages and she piles them at my feet. Tearing some padding from one of the packets, she takes a deep breath and looks up at us both. "Ready?"

I turn back to Logan and smile thinly. He gently grasps my wrist and I close my free hand around his. "Count of three?" I offer quietly and watch him nod in agreement. Taking a deep breath, I wait for Anna to hold the gauze up close to my hand and my body tenses in anticipation. Suddenly I can't help the chuckle that escapes my lips and I shake my head in amusement. "This would have been so much easier if you had just – OW!" I cry out in pain as Logan promptly retracts the claws and Anna clamps the padding down hard on both sides of my hand.

"If I'd done that?" Logan offers quietly.

I nod in agreement and close my eyes as the agony from severed nerve endings surges through me, worsened by the pressure that Anna is applying to try and stop the bleeding. Instinctively I try to pull my hand away from her and I gasp as Logan grabs my wrist again tightly. He quickly moves closer to me and wraps his free arm around my shoulders, pulling me against him firmly. I slip my right arm around his waist and bury my face into his neck, trying so hard not to give in to the sobs that catch in my throat.

"It's okay, Jeanie. It's okay." Logan whispers.

"No, it's not okay!" I cry suddenly, feeling myself trembling against him as I let the tears come. "None of this is okay!"

"Hush!" Logan soothes gently, leaning his cheek against mine and pulling me tighter against him as if he could squeeze all the pain out of me. "The children are safe on the jet and we'll join them as soon as we get you sorted out."

"Oh, you couldn't be more wrong."

The new voice startles us and I can feel Logan tensing against me. I slowly lift my head and groan as I see the man standing by the open door to the laboratory. "I knew this was all too good to be true." I groan.

The man shrugs his shoulders slightly. "You should have listened to your head." Graham nods in amusement and glances through to Scott in the next room. "And not his heart." He chuckles.

Logan is up in an instant and has spun round to confront Graham, both sets of claws springing forth as he growls angrily.

"I wouldn't, if I were you." Graham smiles and lifts his arm to aim a gun at Logan. His smile grows as he watches Logan pause for a moment. "In fact, I could indeed be you."

I watch in horror and fascination as Graham suddenly disappears and his form is instantly replaced with an identical replica of Logan. It's not the smooth transition of a metamorph and my skin crawls as I try to fathom who or what we are now faced with.

_It's all done with mirrors!_

I gasp as the voice rings clearly in my mind and as Graham laughs inside my head, I look at Anna and Logan and can see that they are also hearing him. His touch is familiar and I swallow hard. Standing slowly, I clutch my bandaged hand to my chest and frown at the Logan replica that is watching me in amusement. "Charles?" The replica Logan nods slightly and suddenly has been replaced with an exact likeness of the professor, his eyes tired and his face pale.

"Of course." Charles' gentle voice echoes through the laboratory. "This is easier for you to believe, isn't it." He presses the lever on the arm of the wheelchair and slowly rolls forward. Moving past a confused Logan, he keeps his gaze fixed on me and smiles thinly up at me. "You were so willing to accept that I was behind all this."

I shake my head slowly. "No … I read you … I saw -"

"You saw what I wanted you to see." He sighs and his smile fades a little as he turns to Anna. "You all did."

Anna stands slowly and looks at me in uncertainty. "Jean?" She manages, "Who is he? What is this?"

"Oh, surely you have figured it out by now!" The professor chuckles softly and then becomes serious again just as quickly. "Or perhaps they were right. Perhaps the repeated sessions did cause the brain damage that they had predicted."

"What?" Anna frowns at him in confusion and then suddenly clutches at her head. She cries out on fear and pain and sinks to her knees.

"No!" Logan hurries across the room and crouches down to gather Anna in his arms. "Leave her alone!" He shouts angrily and glares up at the professor.

I watch the agony on Anna's face and my heart sinks as I see the blood that now trickles from her nose. I know exactly what is happening. I've tasted the power that is now being used. "Stop it!" I shout suddenly. "Whoever you are, your quarrel is with me. Leave her alone."

The professor turns to look up at me and a smile spreads across his mouth.

I watch as Anna calms and clutches at Logan, shaken but unharmed. I turn back to look down at the replica of Charles and I take a deep breath. "So tell me." I sigh, "What is the big secret? Hmm? What is it that we have missed?" I can't help the sarcasm that laces my words and I watch the angry reaction on the face of the creature before me.

"Why should I tell you?" Charles argues suddenly, "You think you're so clever. You figure it out!"

I laugh suddenly at this childish response and am about to make another sarcastic reply when a chill runs through me. I swallow hard and can feel a frown tugging at my forehead. Carefully reaching out, I can sense that I was correct in guessing that this is not Charles but neither is it what I had expected. "My god …" I manage in a whisper.

"Jean?" Logan urges worriedly.

I slowly tear my eyes from Charles' face and see Logan watching me in concern. "Let them go." I say firmly and turn back to the professor. "They are of no use to you."

"They are my hostages." Charles argues.

I shake my head slowly. "It's me you want. Let them go. I'll stay."

"Jean? No!" Logan urges.

"It's okay." I smile thinly as I glance at Logan and then turn my attention back to the professor. "He's not going to hurt me. Go. Take Anna. Get to the jet and make sure the children are safe. If Mystique was pretending to be me then she is now amongst them."

"But -"

"Go!" I sigh loudly, "Get out of here!"

"No!" Logan argues. "I won't leave you."

"Logan!" I warn angrily. "Just do as I say."

Logan slowly gets to his feet and helps Anna up off the floor. He supports her as she wobbles weakly beside him and they make their way across the laboratory. I watch them leave and my heart sinks as my eyes rest on Scott's still form.

"He was never meant to be caught up in all this." The professor offers softly.

I look down at the man's kind face and swallow back the tears that have suddenly crept up on me.

"I thought that if I saved him, you might thank me."

I take a deep breath and step back to sit down on the chair behind me. My hand is throbbing painfully and the gauze padding wet with blood. I close my eyes for a moment to try and regain my composure.

"He is Charles' favourite. Isn't he."

I look back up and gasp as I see that the professor has disappeared. In his place stands a young boy, a teenager perhaps judging from his clothes and slightly uneven voice. I stare at him in wonder but am not surprised. "He is." I nod slowly.

"And you love him."

Again, I nod.

"And you love Logan."

I can't help the smile that crosses my mouth and I take a deep breath. "In a way." I nod again and then frown in intrigue. "How long have you been watching us?"

The boy looks down at his feet and shrugs his shoulders. It would be so easy to believe that this is just another troubled child but I can sense the power that flows from him and I remind myself to be wary.

"I was curious." The boy mutters after a moment. "I heard about the school and the children like me."

"The staff here told you?"

"Even if they did not plan to." The boy looks up at me with an amused grin. _There is nothing that can be hidden from me_. His demeanour now suddenly changes and he kicks at a broken chunk of glass. It skids across the polished floor and smashes against the wall. "Until they put up the stupid force field."

I watch him glaring angrily at the unseen barrier that surrounds the complex and I swallow hard. "You mean, before they put that up -"

"I could see everything!" The boy shouts angrily, throwing his arms up in the air. "I could hear the thoughts and dreams of hundreds of people. At first it made no sense but then slowly I could control the noises, channel the power."

I nod in understanding as I remember back to my adolescence and the day my mutation suddenly kicked in. I close my eyes as I recall the fear, confusion and the sorrow that I sensed from my parents when they took me to the psychiatric institution.

"It wasn't like that for me." The boy offers softly, once again calm and his hands now slung idly into the pockets of his baggy jeans. "I've been like this since I was born."

I watch him as he wanders idly across the room, kicking at the glass fragments that are scattered across the floor. There is so much I want to ask him but somehow I sense that he knows this and is trying to find the words to explain. A crackling in my earpiece then makes my heart skip a beat and I try to remain calm, not wanting the boy to sense anything new from me.

"Jean." Logan's voice whispers to me through the earpiece. "Hank is here in the other jet. The children are safe. No sign of Mystique so she might be in there with you. Hang tight and we'll come get you. I know you can't respond but cough if you have heard this."

I clear my throat and listen to the silence that follows but the connection is still open and I soon hear Logan sigh in relief.

"See you soon." Logan offers quietly. "Oh. And Jean? The professor's out here."

"I visited the school, once."

I look up quickly and see the boy watching me in interest.

"I found a way to project illusions into people's minds." He shrugs slightly, "I don't know how it works, exactly, but it does." He smiles as he recalls how he successfully fooled everyone this evening. "I heard about Anna's escape and how you were helping her. I thought I could use her to reveal this place and what was happening here."

I frown as I let his memories blend with my own and I shake my head in wonder. "That's how Mystique crept past the extra security – and even Logan. It wasn't her. It was you."

The boy nods eagerly. "I gave her the disk. I wanted you to start investigating."

"Why not simply contact us? Contact me?" I offer softly, "I would have listened."

"Would you?" The boy frowns suddenly and lets out a heavy sigh. "I don't think so. And besides …" He turns away from me and shrugs his shoulders. "I could hurt him better this way." 

I watch him as he hangs his head wearily and I swallow hard. "Charles." I propose quietly.

"Yes, Charles!" The boy shouts suddenly, spinning back round to face me with renewed anger. "Charles fucking Xavier and his double standards! Bastard! Telling me I'm too dangerous to be allowed to leave this place! But he's the one behind it all!"

"No." I smile thinly as I read from the boy that Charles had been speaking the truth earlier this evening. "He had to be involved to control what was happening."

"Whatever." The boy grates, "Same difference."

I sigh as I touch the anger and hatred that ebbs from the boy. I don't know where to begin in trying to somehow help him, counsel him. If that would even do any good. I guess a name would be a good start and I frown up at him in interest but suddenly my attention is pulled towards movement in the adjoining laboratory. My heart is racing as I watch Scott slowly lifting his arm up towards his face, his fingers touching the tubing that extends from his throat. I stand quickly and gasp as I see the gun that the boy has pulled from his trouser pocket. "Scott." I explain hurriedly and nod behind the boy. "He's waking up."

The boy turns and relaxes as he sees for himself that Scott is slowly coming round from the sedative. "Okay." He shrugs as he looks back at me.

I keep my injured hand close to my chest and somehow manage to clamber through the broken window and across to Scott's bed. "Hey, honey." I say quietly and reach out to wrap my fingers around his, gently pulling them away from the ET tube. I sense the alarm in Scott's thoughts and quickly lean over him to place a kiss on his forehead. "It's okay, it's me." I urge softly and I smile as I hear the relief and calm that spreads through Scott's mind.

I lean back a little and glance behind me to see that the boy has also climbed into the lab and is approaching me slowly. "Where are Scott's glasses?"

The boy shrugs and shakes his head. "He wasn't wearing any."

I groan in dismay and frown as I turn back to Scott. He is still groggy from the pain killers and anaesthetic and I can't risk him opening his eyes. I then see the extra gauze and surgical tape that have been left on the locker beside the bed and I quickly lift the tape with my mind and float it across to me. Scott panics as I place tape across one of his eyes and I again press my lips against his forehead in reassurance. "It's okay, relax." I tape down his other eyelid and chuckle to myself as I hear the sarcastic reply that pops into Scott's mind. He does have a point. This whole situation is hardly conducive to relaxation. I then hear him gagging slightly against the tube in his throat, his body fighting the airway as he returns to full consciousness. The tube was necessary while he was heavily sedated but is now hindering his breathing and I look around me for more equipment. "I need a syringe." I say aloud and am aware of the boy moving past me.

"I think all the stuff's in here." The boy replies and hurries round to the tall cupboard on the other side of Scott's bed. "Yeah." He smiles as he grabs a box of equipment and holds it out towards me.

"Thanks." I nod and grab a syringe from the container. Having deflated the balloon at the inner end of the airway, I slowly remove the tube from Scott's throat and watch in concern as he grimaces and tries to cough as the plastic is pulled free. I quickly press a button on the bed controls to sit him upright and then stroke my hand through his hair as he leans forward and coughs hoarsely.

"Here."

I look across the bed and smile as the boy hands me a cup of water. Lifting the cup to Scott's mouth, I urge him to take a sip and watch in concern as he gulps at the cool liquid.

"Will he be okay?" The boy asks quietly.

I watch Scott as he calms and I nod slowly. "I'm sure he'll be fine." I glance at the boy and smile thinly. "Thanks to you."

The boy shrugs his shoulders coyly, a smile of relief and pride dancing on his lips.

Scott has calmed now and slowly rests back against the pillows. "How you feeling?" I ask softly.

"Like shit." Scott whispers dryly and frowns as he lifts his hand to touch the dressing that runs up his chest.

"D'you know where you are?" I continue.

Scott suddenly grins and turns towards me. "In Rio," he sighs, "Surrounded by dancing girls."

I laugh softly and roll my eyes in exaggeration. "Yeah, he'll be fine!" I offer again to the boy.

"Who you talking to?" Scott asks suddenly, his frown returning.

I shrug my shoulders as I turn back to the boy. "Actually, I don't know his name." I reply expectantly.

The boy smiles and is about to answer my query when suddenly panic floods into his thoughts and he spins round to face the door. "Ask him." He husks.

I frown in confusion but then hear the familiar whirring of a motorised chair. I watch as Professor Xavier soon appears at the open door to the lab, flanked by Hank and Logan. I smile in relief as I see that Charles appears none the worse for wear since my attack on him and he returns my smile in greeting.

The professor slowly turns his attention to the boy and sighs heavily. "Jacob."

"Father." The boy replies curtly.

I close my eyes as the truth washes over me. Deep down, I have already guessed what had happened here and the link between Charles and the boy. The boy's telepathic touch is so familiar and the need for his concealment from us and from others is clear. He is 100 percent alpha mutant. Pure telepathic power at it's strongest. And yet he is still, in essence, a child. A very confused, hurt and angry child. Which makes him even more dangerous than I have already surmised.

"Jean?" Scott whispers cautiously, "What's going on?"

I take his hand in mine and squeeze his fingers gently. "I'll explain it all later." I reply quietly and then turn to the boy. "Jacob?" I urge softly and manage a thin smile as he turns towards me.

Jacob nods slowly. "They can take Scott to safety."

I look across at Hank and Logan and see the concern on both their faces. "We'll be fine." I nod in reassurance. "Get Scott back to the mansion."

Hank hurries forward and begins to disconnect the monitoring equipment from Scott. "It would appear that you also require some attention." He offers gently.

"What?" Scott gasps in concern and instantly clutches at his tight chest. "Jean?" He manages through clenched teeth.

I look down at my bandaged hand and now realise that my fingers have gone numb. "It can wait." I reply quickly and step back from Scott.

"No!" Scott argues weakly, "Jean?"

I look away from the anguish on Scott's face as Logan hurries over to help Hank push the bed from the room. Logan shoots me a worried glance and I nod slightly. "We'll be fine." I urge again and watch them as they leave, closing my eyes as they disappear down the corridor and Scott's continued protests begin to fade. After a few minutes, their thoughts are beyond the protection of the barrier and I open my eyes to see Charles and the boy that was created from him staring steadily at each other.

"Jacob …" Professor Xavier suddenly sighs and shakes his head slowly. "Jacob, what have you done?"

"What you could not do." Jacob shrugs coolly. "Shown them the truth about what you have been doing."

"Jacob, you don't understand." The professor continues.

"No?" Jacob shouts suddenly and steps towards Charles. "And what is it, exactly, that I don't understand? How you lied to your friends? How you kept me prisoner here? How you experimented on your own kind?"

"It's not like that, Jacob. I was trying to help."

"No more lies!" Jacob suddenly shouts and glares in fury at the professor.

I gasp in horror as the professor is thrown back against his chair, the force of the action sending the locked wheels screeching back a short distance across the floor. There Charles remains, his body locked in an awkward seizure and his face filled with pain. "No!" I shout angrily and focus on Jacob. I quickly find the link between him and Charles and I hold my breath as I force myself between them.

Jacob suddenly releases his hold on the professor and stumbles backwards. He turns to me in shock and then a smile spreads across his mouth. "You're far more powerful than him." He mutters in awe.

My breathing is heavy as I turn to look at the professor and I see him slowly regaining his composure. He clutches his head for a moment and then slowly looks back up at Jacob.

"He knows you're stronger than him." Jacob continues, frowning at me in intrigue. "Why do you let him hold you back?"

"Because it's dangerous." I reply softly.

"No." Jacob argues, shooting an angry glare at Charles. "That's just what he wants you to think."

"It's the truth." Charles urges carefully.

"Truth?" Jacob laughs coldly. "What do you know about truth?"

"Stop it!" I shout suddenly, too tired and too upset to keep control of my emotions any longer. I focus all my remaining strength on Jacob and close my eyes as I break through the shielding he tries to throw in my path. Suddenly I see it all. The secret creation that was hidden from Charles, the endless hours Charles spent trying to teach Jacob to control his ability but the enormous power was too much for even both of them to cope with. And all of Charles' efforts suddenly backfired on him. His teachings were lost in the confused mind of an adolescent. A boy who now wanted nothing but to hurt the father that he never really had.

I can feel tears pouring down my face as I step closer to Jacob and search further into his mind. Seeing the illusions that he has created and how he has been slowly turning all of us against the professor. The viral sample that he introduced to the embryos and was subsequently passed on by Anna's baby. The soldiers and police that he has controlled like pawns in some sort of game. The people he has used and the innocent victims of his plot to destroy Charles. And suddenly I realise that he has no remorse for the deaths he caused, no sense of guilt for what he has done. "My god …" I gasp in horror. "You're evil. Pure evil."

"I was created from him!" Jacob reminds me in amusement, suddenly fighting back against my hold and glaring at the professor in defiance.

I watch Charles as he closes his eyes and I can feel him linking with me to boost my power. Together we might be able to somehow disable Jacob long enough to decide what the hell to do with him. And my heart races as I realise that Charles has already tried everything. There may be nothing more that we can do for Jacob. I close my eyes as I sense the pain in the professor's thoughts at the knowledge that there is only one option left.

_I can't, Jean_.

I open my eyes and see the agony on Charles' face as he tries to maintain his hold and I know that he's right. I turn to watch Jacob as he clutches at his head and sinks to his knees on the floor. Blood is pouring from his nose and ears and it won't be long now. But I know that we can't go through with this. Neither of us is capable of killing.

My heart sinks as suddenly I realise that there is someone who could do this. I think somewhere in my subconscious I had heard the footfalls in the corridor and was aware of the presence that slipped back into the building. My mind had almost instantly blocked all acknowledgement of the approaching threat and Jacob and Charles were too focused on each other to notice the fourth mind that edged closer or even my reaction to it.

I turn slowly and watch as she appears at the open doorway. And Jacob has now sensed what is happening. He looks up and cries out in fear and anger, sending out a last blast of power in a desperate attempt to escape the hold that Charles and I have on him. I gasp as a wave of psychic energy slams into me and I am thrown backwards to land with a thud on the floor. I lift my head and see that Charles has also been flung from his chair and is lying still at the feet of the figure that has stepped into the room.

I close my eyes as Anna raises her gun and fires.

XXXXX

I must have passed out for a moment because when I open my eyes, Anna is kneeling beside me, shaking my shoulders and calling out to me urgently. I manage a thin smile up at her and she sighs in relief.

"I guess there must have still been a link between us." Anna offers softly, "I heard you call out to me."

I nod silently and take a deep breath. "Is he dead?" I manage after a moment and instantly see the answer in Anna's anguished face. I swallow back my tears and reach up with my good hand to touch her cheek. "There was no other way."

Anna shrugs her shoulders slightly and then gasps as I try to sit up. "Lie still!" She urges, "Hank is on his way – let him make sure you're alright."

I relax back against the hard floor and smile thinly in agreement. In truth, I don't think I'd be able to sit up without passing out again. Every muscle and joint aches and my injured hand is throbbing painfully, which I remind myself is a good thing. "Charles?!" I gasp suddenly.

"I think he's alright." Anna nods slightly. "He's not awake but he's breathing."

I frown as I try to reach out and find Charles but I give in with a groan as pain instantly tears through my mind.

"What is it?" Anna urges worriedly.

I laugh despite myself and take a deep breath. "I think my telepathic circuits are fried." I sigh.

"Oh." Anna watches me for a moment and tears well in her eyes. "For good?"

I look up at her distraught face and my heart sinks. "No, I'm sure it'll return." I offer quickly and place my hand on her arm. "I made you a promise." I urge firmly.

Anna nods slowly but her shoulders are shaking and suddenly she covers her face with her hands. "Oh god, I can't do this!" She cries suddenly.

"Anna?" Ignoring her sound advice, I heave myself up into a sitting position and wait for a second for the dizziness to pass before then placing my good arm around Anna and pulling her against me.

"I can't, Jean. I just can't!" Anna sobs into my shoulder and clutches at me desperately. "I need these thoughts gone. I can't cope with this!"

"I know." I soothe and gently comb my fingers through her hair. "I'm sorry, Anna. I'm so sorry." I whisper and close my eyes as she cries harder. I can't begin to imagine the pain she is feeling. Both from old wounds that I reopened when I lifted the shield from her mind and the new anguish at having killed again.

"Please!" Anna husks wearily, "Please, Jean. I can't live with this."

I pull her closer to me and hold my breath as I try to focus on her. Again pain tears through my head and I am about to pull back when suddenly I sense him gently assisting me. I open my eyes and see Charles looking up at us from his crumpled position on the floor. He smiles thinly and I know he is only trying to convey reassurance but a chill runs through me. Suddenly I know that no matter what may have been revealed here tonight, I don't think that I can ever trust him again. The thought of leaving the school saddens me and panic builds as I wonder what I will do or where the hell I will go. But I have to go. Just as I know that I have to let Anna go.

I can hear Hank and Logan running up the corridor towards us and I wonder if perhaps I ought to let them say their goodbyes but then I recall again the promise I made to Anna. I let the professor's mind merge with mine and together we focus our power. And I wonder if it will be the last time we work together as Anna falls heavily against me with a sigh of relief.  



	22. Epilogue

_**EPILOGUE**_

The coffee in the tall paper cup has long gone cold and I grimace as I down the last few mouthfuls. The drink leaves a bitter taste in my mouth but I had decided that perhaps caffeine and sugar was a bad combination. It's hard enough as it is to sit here and wait.

I glance at the clock in the centre of the dashboard and groan wearily. Sitting here waiting is exactly what I have been doing for the past four hours now. Except for the much needed pee break and the obligatory stop at the coffee shop in town, I've spent my entire morning here in this street. The local residents must be wary of me by now and a few have peered in at me in annoyance as they wandered past with their dogs. I wonder now if their pooches actually needed a walk or whether that was their excuse for checking out the stranger parked in the middle of their street.

Oh, this is stupid. I should have listened to the professor and not come out here. But since when do I listen to anyone? And I told myself – and Charles – that he would definitely be the last person I ever listened to again, if ever. But they were words spoken in anger and time has a funny way of eventually smoothing things over.

It did take a lot of time, though. It was six weeks before I stepped foot in the school again and that surprised none more than me. Whether I was disappointed in myself for not lasting longer or feeling guilty for having left at all, I was unsure. But it was a difficult moment when I wandered into the professor's office.

He didn't seem to have changed at all. His office was the same and he looked just as he had before all this happened. Or so I had first thought. When I stepped closer to him, I noted the weariness in his eyes and the sharp definition of his cheekbones beneath his pale skin. I don't think any of us will ever understand what he has been through. And perhaps that's how he wants it. I know there's now this new rule amongst us that there are absolutely no secrets but he needs to keep some sort of professional distance. He's a leader. I get that.

At one point, though, I did think that he might want to open up to me. It was a few days after my return and I had found him sitting at the far end of the garden, staring out over the graves of the friends we had lost. I forgot instantly what it was that was so important to seek him out for and I still can't remember now why I was looking for him. He was crying softly and I was struck by how helpless he seemed. And how very old.

"Such a waste." Charles had whispered huskily. "Such a fucking waste."

I don't think I'd ever heard Charles use an expletive before but it wasn't that which upset me. It was the anguish that laced his voice. And suddenly I did feel guilty. Guilty for leaving him to face his grief alone. He had lost his two closest confidants. Orora lay in the ground before us and Jean was gone. Out of reach in some undisclosed location.

I wanted to tell him how sorry I was for deserting him when he needed me most. I wanted to somehow explain why I had needed to go. But I could not find the words and so I simply placed my hand on his shoulder and somehow hoped that being there at that moment would be enough.

"I need you to help me rebuild all this." Charles had said after a moment and he reached up to place his hand over mine. "I need you to help me to let go of what this place … of what _I _used to be."

Again I was lost for words as he looked up at me with tear-filled eyes and I had simply nodded in agreement.

"We will be stronger." Charles had said firmly and he took a deep breath as he turned back to the graves. "There will have to be some changes and it's not going to be easy. But we'll get through this."

I lean back into the soft driver's seat and a frown pulls at my forehead as I remember back to that conversation a few months ago. Charles had not been wrong. The changes that needed to be made were hard but it was necessary. Hank had done a good job of somehow keeping the school running while the rest of us had either fled the coop or been in recovery. But the day after our brief talk in the garden, the professor had outlined what he wanted to adjust. One of the first things was to sit down with all the students and tell them the honest truth about all that had happened. They knew a few details here and there and had their own theories about certain events but we laid it out to them straight. And then the new lessons began. We taught them how to fight and how to win. We took them down into the lower levels and trained them on the use of the vast array of state-of-the-art equipment. For too long had we treated them as the children they appear to be and not the gifted individuals that they are.

I smile as I recall the varied reactions we received from the children. Some of them, like Bobby and Marie, had been ready for this for a long time but others had simply gazed at us in fear and confusion as we talked of battle strategies and war defences. I can't help but wonder what Orora would make of all this and somehow I think that, though she may have been loud in her protests, deep down she would have approved. We were seeking out the strengths within each student and finally putting them to good use.

"We are creating soldiers." Hank had argued one afternoon as we sat together in the conference room and planned the next week's lessons.

Sitting in that room was a painful reminder of what we had lost. The three of us seemed suddenly very alone amid the empty chairs.

"We are preparing them for the future, Hank." Charles had countered gently. "If the events of the past year tell us anything, it's that we were unprepared. The world has changed around us and the threat to us all is always growing. We have to be ready for whatever they throw at us next."

"They?" Hank had queried, "You have always maintained that a human-mutant divide does not and should not exist."

"And I still do." Charles had agreed firmly. "But we must not take anything for granted. A new threat could come from anywhere, anyone. All we can depend on is each other."

I guess that's why I came out here to this quiet town in South Dakota. To see for myself that she really is no longer part of the team. And perhaps to try and persuade her to return.

It's a futile plan and I've already accepted that it will fail. I don't even know what I will say to her if I do see her. But I'm beginning to realise that my motives have changed. Gone is my resolve to bring her back into the fold and now I simply want to see her. Just to know that she is safe and perhaps even allow myself to accept that she is happier not being with us.

But the courage that it took to walk up to her door and ring the bell vanished without a trace when there was no answer and I don't think I can summon it again. I've been sitting here in the belief that she has to come home at some point but now even that seems unlikely. My mind is telling me that it's time to call it a day but for some reason I just can't. Now I can see myself spending the night here and that would really piss of the local neighbourhood watch.

I sigh loudly into the empty car and grab the key to turn the ignition. The dashboard lights flicker to life and I'm about to start the engine when a car appears in my rear view mirror and I hold my breath in anticipation.

The black SUV slows as it approaches me before then swinging across the road and rolling up onto the drive. I clutch my steering wheel tightly and can hardly breathe as I watch the driver's door open and she steps out of the vehicle.

She looks just the same. Somehow I thought she would have dyed her hair or at least had it cut but it hasn't changed and a smile pulls at my lips as I watch her. She hurries round to open the passenger door and leans into the jeep. I lower my window and warm summer air rushes into my car, bringing with it the sound of her gentle laughter. My smile grows as I listen to her happy banter and I watch in wonder as she lifts the small boy from the vehicle. He clutches at her sleepily and his head flops over her shoulder as she carries him up to the house.

My head is spinning as I watch her unlock her front door and she disappears into the house. I know I'll never come here again. If I don't go up to the house right now, I never will. I take a deep breath and climb out of my car.

I've made it up onto the drive and am walking past the open car when I then see the shopping on the back seat. I hear the handle of the front door turning and I freeze. Suddenly there's no time to prepare an opening line or get ready to meet her. Suddenly she's stepping from the house and walking towards me. My whole being is screaming at me to pretend to be a salesman and I'm quickly racking my brain for a suitable product when I then realise that she is smiling at me.

"I thought it was you." Anna nods in greeting.

"I … what?" I stammer in surprise.

Anna shrugs her shoulders and wanders up to me. "I saw your car this morning when I left." She nods past me and then smiles back up at me. "But when I came back at lunchtime you had gone."

I frown at her in confusion, "Coffee." I manage.

"Ah," Anna nods in understanding and then turns to lean into her jeep again. "Help me inside with these." She grins as she places a bag of groceries in my arms and then grabs the rest before locking the car and heading up the drive.

I follow her into the house in bewildered silence and gently kick the front door closed. Having placed the shopping where she indicated on the kitchen counter, I watch her unpacking the cold items into the fridge and am lost for words.

"More coffee?" Anna offers in amusement as she closes the fridge and steps past me to grab the kettle. "Or have you had enough already?"

"Sorry?" I frown.

"What's wrong with you? You can't be surprised to see me if you've been waiting outside my house all day!"

"Yeah … I guess."

"I've never known you so quiet!" Anna laughs, as she fills up the kettle with water. "I would have thought there would be a lot to tell me after all this time."

I close my eyes and let out a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry." I look back up at her and shrug my shoulders, a smile spreading across my mouth. "It's just so good to see you and you look so great. But …" I shake my head slowly, "As you say – it's been a while."

Anna nods in agreement and then chuckles softly. "Come here, you!" She suddenly crosses the kitchen and throws her arms around my waist. "God, it's good to see you!"

I wrap my arms around her shoulders and bury my face into her soft hair. She smells just as good as I remember and I breathe in her scent as I clutch her to me. We stay locked in each other's embrace for a long moment and then the kettle boils and Anna sighs as she steps back from me and makes us both a cup of coffee.

I follow Anna into the lounge and smile as I see the sleeping form of her son on one of the wide sofas.

"He always falls asleep in the car." Anna offers as she notices my reaction. "It works like a charm whenever he's unsettled. Of course, the neighbours tend to frown at me when I take him out in the car in my pyjamas at 3 am!"

I laugh gently and nod in understanding as I sit down on the sofa opposite her. "Surely you could just play a recording of an engine and rock him gently."

"Oh, believe me – I tried everything!" Anna chuckles, "But – nope! It has to be the real thing! He just loves cars!"

I sip at my coffee and try to think how to approach what I need to ask her. It's clear she knows me but what her memory of me really is I don't know. Asking her outright whether she knows who I am or remembers the school might not be the right tactic.

"So." Anna leans forward and places her coffee on the table between us. "What brought you out here today?"

"I'm not sure." I answer honestly.

"It's been, what … six months?" Anna frowns in thought.

"About that, yeah." I nod in agreement and shrug my shoulders slightly. "Sorry."

"Oh, it's just as much my fault!" Anna laughs and waves off my concern with her hand. "I could easily have picked up the phone!"

I watch her for a moment and wonder whether she would have been able to contact me. I don't know what Jean planned for. There was no chance to ask her what, if anything, she had placed in Anna's memory. She was long gone when Hank had finally released me from the confines of the infirmary.

And so was Logan. I was furious at first. Hurt and disappointed. And so sure that they had eloped together. But then Charles explained about the task he had given to Logan. It seemed that Charles' notion of utilising the full potential of all those living at the school had begun with Logan. And suddenly I was jealous of him. He had something to distract him from all that had happened and, when I spoke to him myself during one of his regular updates, I could hear that he was almost happy. He was hunting. And he was useful.

I spent a few days moping around the school. Tired and numb. Unable to come to terms with all that had happened. And still weak from surgery.

Hank said it was normal to feel so confused. He said it would take time to adjust to the fact that I now had someone else's heart beating in my chest. And he was right. I still haven't accepted the transplant. My body has willingly taken to the new organ but something in me still can't deal with the notion that my heart is not my own. In truth, it never was. It belonged to Jean from the moment I first saw her. And that fact alone sends an almost physical pain through my entire being. Did she leave because I was no longer there?

"Scott?"

I look up and see Anna frowning at me in concern. She stands and steps round the table to sit beside me, my heart racing as she places her hand on my arm. Well, the thing inside my chest is racing.

"What is it?" Anna urges softly, stroking her hand down my arm to grasp my fingers in hers. "Has something happened?"

You could say that, I want to reply. Instead I just shake my head and force a smile to my face. "I was just thinking." I shrug and then an idea springs to my mind. "D'you remember when we first met?"

Anna watches me in concern for a moment and then takes a deep breath. "Not really." She sighs and her frown then fades as she regards me fondly, "It just feels like you've always been a part of my life." Anna chuckles and shrugs her shoulders slightly. "Why?"

"No reason." I smile thinly.

"What is it, Scott? Tell me."

I look down into her sincere face and it would be so easy to pour out my worries to her but I can't risk it. Jean altered Anna's memory for a reason. She is so much safer not knowing the truth. And there's also the fact that she wanted this. Logan said she had begged Jean to make her forget. Forget the nightmares that are so very real. Forget the pain of so many bad memories. Forget us.

"Scott, you're scaring me." Anna husks quietly and reaches up to touch the frown that sits above my glasses. Her fingers then slowly trace the edges of the red lenses and she sighs loudly. "You've been my friend for so long. We used to tell each other everything. I know that me moving out here has put distance between us … but it was what I had to do. I needed to be near my parents." She lets her hand rest on my cheek and shakes her head slowly. "We said that this would never change us."

I look into her dark eyes and am again lost for words. I don't know the life that she remembers. I don't know the person that she thinks I am.

"Is it Max?" Anna asks suddenly and frowns up at me in concern. "Have I changed since he came along?"

"I don't know." I answer honestly, suddenly wishing that I had listened to Charles and not travelled up here.

"Only this morning, mom was telling me how responsible and mature I've become." Anna laughs suddenly, "Can you imagine it? Me – all growed up?" She grimaces at the thought and then smiles up at me. "Remember in college how we vowed never to grow up?"

No, I want to tell her. I don't know anything of the life you remember. But I simply smile and nod slightly.

"How's Jean?"

My replacement heart slams into my chest and I stare at Anna in wonder.

"I haven't heard from her since she came to visit the day after Max was born." Anna wonders aloud and then seems to suddenly realise what it might be that is troubling me. "Oh god … are you guys …?"

"We broke up." I shrug, deciding to play along.

"Oh no …" Anna groans in dismay. "Oh, Scott … I'm so sorry." She edges closer to me and rests her head against my shoulder. "That's crappy." She sighs, "But it explains a lot, I guess." Anna offers softly, "Why didn't you call me?"

"You had enough to deal with. What with the move and then the baby."

"Yeah. But I've always got time for you – you know that."

I nod in silence.

"Is it for good?" Anna asks after a moment. She looks up at me and sees the pain that must be etched on my face. "Oh, I'm so sorry."

"She left a few months ago." I offer carefully, glad to be able to tell the truth to her at last. And relieved to finally be able to talk to someone about this. "I decided to go and stay with friends. I couldn't stand being in our home, constantly surrounded by her presence."

Anna leans back from me and then smiles thinly. "It must be so hard. You guys were always the certainty. Ever since college."

I swallow back the lump in my throat and manage a slight shrug of my shoulders. "There was never anyone but Jean." I agree huskily. Until I met you, I suddenly want to add.

Anna again reaches up and strokes my hair back from my forehead. "You still should have called me." She smiles.

"I know."

She gently slides her hand behind my neck and I close my eyes as I let her pull me towards her. Anna wraps her arms around me and hugs me tightly. "Well, you're here now." She offers softly, "That's all that matters."

I clutch at her as I feel the tears forming and it would be so easy to let go. But I'm suddenly wary of the danger I may be placing her in just by being here. I lean back from her and take a deep breath, shaking my head slightly to collect my thoughts.

"What's wrong?" Anna asks carefully.

"Nothing." I wave dismissively and stand quickly from the sofa. "I shouldn't have come here." I sigh and begin towards the lounge door. If I use the comm. in my car, I can contact Charles quickly and tell him what I've done. He can send Hank out here to watch over Anna and make sure no one followed me here.

"Scott?" Anna gasps worriedly as she hurries after me and we both then jump in fright as suddenly the front door bell rings. She groans in annoyance and grabs my arm, pulling me back from the lounge door. "I'll just quickly see who that is. You stay here." She orders and wanders from the room.

I want to stop her. I want to hold her back but what can I say that won't freak her out? I still don't know how much she knows about me. Stupid, Summers, I chide myself. Real fucking stupid.

I wander out into the hall as Anna answers the door and adrenaline surges through me as she greets the man cheerily. Reaching up to grasp the arm of my glasses, I watch every move of the elderly man and my whole body tenses in apprehension. I don't know if Anna has any memory of why I wear my glasses but if the old guy makes any sudden moves I'll soon show them both. I relax a little as I watch the man chatting with Anna. He seems familiar and I frown as I see the dog that is eagerly jumping up to greet Anna. Now I remember that he was one of the nosy neighbours that was keeping an eye on the strange man that had been sitting in the car all morning. I'm soon wishing that I had Logan's sense of smell to tell if this who I think it is. Perhaps Logan will show up at any moment and slice Mystique to pieces. He is hunting her, after all.

Anna bids her neighbour a pleasant evening and waves as he retreats down the drive. She closes the front door and shrugs in confusion as she turns back to me.

"What did he want?"

Anna holds up the small letter in her hand and shakes her head. "He said he was told to look out for someone visiting me in a blue sports car with New York plates. He said she told him that if he ever saw the car then he should deliver this to me." She laughs in bewilderment and continues down the hall towards me. "It's for you."

My mind is screaming at me to call Charles right away. This doesn't seem at all right. But I look down at the envelope and gasp as I recognise the handwriting.

"Weird." Anna chuckles slightly.

"Yeah." I manage and timidly reach out to take the letter from her. My fingers are trembling as I turn the envelope over and begin to tear open the seal. Pulling the letter free, I see the signature on the last page and I close my eyes. "Jean …" I groan.

"Jean?" Anna urges softly. "But why send it here?"

"She didn't know where I had gone." I reply quietly and manage a thin smile as I look up at Anna. "But she knew I would come to see you."

Anna watches me in concern for a moment and then nods in understanding. She wanders through to the lounge and soon returns with a still sound asleep Max in her arms. "I'll be upstairs." Anna offers softly.

This could still be some sort of trap, I remind myself, as I walk slowly into the lounge and sit back down on the sofa. I'll have Hank analyse the paper and the handwriting and they might be able to get prints or perhaps a DNA sample from the licked seal. I slowly open the folded paper and tears blur my vision as I begin to read the undated letter. The script is uneven and almost illegible, a typical doctor's hand.

_Scott, _

_If you're reading this now then you have done exactly what you were warned not to do. And I am glad that you have. By now you may or may not have realised that I have broken the promise that I made to Anna. I couldn't do it, Scott. I could not do what she asked. I removed the memories that were tearing her apart but I could not take it all. If she should ever realise the truth then I hope she can forgive me. I wish I had the courage to face her myself. She knows who you are and I shared some of my memories from college with her. She will remember the school and the unique nature of the students but I took away all memory of the x-men. I know how much her role tortured her and why she wanted to forget but I get the feeling that she will need all your support as Max starts to grow. She has a new life now. A family that love her and a chance to be someone. I envy her that. I wish that I could erase all that has happened and start over. The frightening thing is that I probably could. I've known for a while now that my power was growing beyond what any of us could have imagined. I've hidden things from you and from Charles and for that I'm truly sorry. The last thing I meant to do was hurt you. And that is why I had to leave. I don't know where I'll go or if I'll ever return. I need to find some answers and I need to look for them alone. I know that this must be hard for you right now but I hope that one day you'll understand. I wish I could be there to help you through the difficult days to come. It hurts me to leave you like this. But you are not alone. Anna needs you. Which is why I could not take that from her. I know that your love for me has never changed and please believe me when I tell you that I love you more than I could ever explain. But you must let go now. As I have done. _

_Take care, Scott_.

_Jean_

I close my eyes and fold the letter back up between my fingers. My mind is racing but my body is numb and after a moment I have to remind myself to breathe. When I do, it passes my lips with a groan and I cover my mouth with my hand.

"Oh, honey …"

I look up and see Anna waiting by the open door to the lounge. I manage a thin smile and then look back down at the letter in my hands, tears escaping under my glasses and dripping onto my knees.

Anna slowly makes her way over to me and timidly reaches out to place her hand on my shoulder. "I know how it feels …" She offers quietly.

I again close my eyes as she gently strokes my back, her hands then moving up over the collar of my shirt and into my hair. I can't help the slight moan that escapes my tight throat and I lean my head towards her touch.

Anna sees my response and steps closer, gently pulling my head against her abdomen and continuing to stroke her fingers through my hair. "I'm so sorry." She whispers.

I rest against her and let the tears flow. I knew that Jean was gone for good. Charles has spoken little of that last confrontation but he has told us enough. He is just as lost as I am without her and I know he thinks he failed her but those are his demons to deal with. I have enough of my own to worry about. And now suddenly they seem to know that my defences are down and they are all rising to the surface.

"Hey …" Anna steps back from me and leans down to place a kiss on the top of my head. She sinks to her knees and lifts my head to face her. "Oh, baby …" She sighs and wipes the tears from my cheeks with her thumbs. "You'll get through this." Anna offers quietly, "You will."

I nod slowly and manage a thin smile. "Yeah." I husk.

Anna moves forward and slips her arms about my waist. She hugs me tightly and sighs as she rests her face against my chest. I know there's every chance this isn't her. I know this could be Mystique. But right now I don't care. It feels too good to be held by this woman and so comforting to have her close. I have needed this moment and I ignore the warning in the back of my mind as I feel her steady breaths warming my shirt. I wish I didn't have these doubts. I wish I could simply exist in this world, blissfully unaware of the danger around us. There was a time when I had so wished that Jean had erased my memory but that would have been too easy. I have responsibilities, people that need me and I have to be strong. It's been difficult to try and adjust to all that has happened and it's going to be hard to be without Jean in my life. But suddenly it doesn't seem so bad as I wrap my arms around Anna's shoulders and pull her close to me.

"You hungry?" Anna suddenly enquires.

"Um … yeah. I guess." I reply quietly.

"You sound like you're hungry!" Anna chuckles and leans back to smile up at me cheekily.

I'm now aware of the rumbling from somewhere inside me and I blush slightly.

"Come on." Anna clambers to her feet and takes my hand to pull me up from the sofa. "It's a good job I've just been shopping – I remember what your appetite is like."

"Hey!" I defend with a chuckle and follow her obediently into the hall. "Wait." I pull back from her and glance at the front door. "Would it be okay to move my car onto your drive?"

"Sure!" Anna smiles, apparently delighted at the idea that this might mean I'm staying for a while. Her smile then changes into an amused grin and she sighs slightly. "We wouldn't want it to get scratched or anything."

I glare at her playfully and head for the front door. The afternoon sunshine is warm on my face as I jog across the street and climb into my car. I turn on the ignition and then notice the comm. device on the dashboard is flashing urgently. Pulling the handset out from it's housing, I can hear that the connection is not active and I frown in concern. I press one of the buttons on the device and wait for the slight hissing of the open connection.

"Ah, Scott. We were just trying to contact you." Hank's voice suddenly fills the car through the stereo speakers. "Where are you?"

"I went for a drive." I reply carefully, well aware that Hank can see my exact location from the tracer on the car. "Is everything okay?"

"Indeed it is." Hank confirms and I can hear that he is smiling. "Logan has just informed us that he has Mystique in custody."

I close my eyes and sigh in relief.

"I thought you would want to know." Hank continues softly. "Are you alright?" Hank urges, concerned when I make no reply.

"Yeah." I turn to look over at the house and take a deep breath. "I'm fine."

_Fin_


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